ChinaTravelNews – Korea is set to feature prominently as a destination for Chinese travelers in 2015 as the Korean government has designated this year as “China Tourism Year” in Seoul and China’s National Tourism Administration China has planned 115 exchange activities with Korea to promote Sino-Korean friendship. South Korea recorded 6.1 million arrivals from China in 2014 according to the Korean Ministry of Tourism.
Korea has become the top destination for Chinese travelers with is particularly popular among female travelers and those in their thirties, according to Ctrip data. The Korean government also plans to extensively simplify the visa process for Chinese tour groups in a bid to keep its top rank as the most popular destination for Chinese travelers.
Ctrip data also show that roughly 50% of Chinese visitors to Korea traveled with tour groups but the number of independent visitors is rapidly increasing. Roughly 60% of visitors are in their thirties and 20% are in their twenties, and about 70% are women. Visitor expenditure in Korea ranges from RMB1,000 to almost RMB10,000 per person.
The majority of Chinese visitors are from major cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou but second- and third-tier cities are projected to be the fastest growing markets. The three most popular Korean destinations for Chinese are Seoul, Jeju and Gangwondo. Seoul is the financial centre of Korea with abundant shopping and amusement venues making it the most popular with young Chinese. Jeju Island became a hit with the Chinese after the implementation of a visa-free policy lowered the barrier for visits, and Gangwondo’s main attractions are skiing, hot springs, famous mountains and seaside resorts.(Translation by David)
