Travel Industry Insights Travel News
China-South Korea Tourism Boom Heats Up
Since the beginning of this year, the number of South Korean tourists visiting China has been steadily increasing, driving a significant rise in demand for travel to China. At the same time, the number of Chinese tourists travelling to South Korea has also been growing. According to several South Korean travel agencies, there has been a noticeable increase in group tourists travelling to China during the first half of the year (January to June). Data released by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism showed that South Korean tourists ranked second and third among inbound tourists in the first quarter of this year, indicating China’s popularity as a destination for South Koreans. Additionally, more than 1 million Chinese tourists visited South Korea in the first quarter (January to March), making China South Korea’s largest source of overseas tourists. This mutual tourism exchange between China and South Korea is flourishing, and cultural exchanges between the two countries are also becoming increasingly active.
As the number of South Korean tourists to China increases, South Korean airlines are expanding the number of available routes. Korean Air currently offers three direct flights to Zhangjiajie per week, and in June alone, this route transported 3,238 passengers with a load factor of 75%. In order to meet the growing demand for travel to China, the frequency of flights on the Zhangjiajie route will increase from three to five per week during the peak travel season in September and October.
On August 10, 2023, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the resumption of outbound group travel for Chinese citizens to selected countries and regions (third batch), including the resumption of group travel to South Korea. Following this announcement, South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched a plan to attract Chinese tourists, aiming to attract 2 million Chinese tourists annually. The number of Chinese tourists to South Korea has been gradually increasing since the second half of 2023, indicating a strong recovery in tourism to South Korea. This trend has become even more evident in 2024, demonstrating the resilience and growth potential of the tourism industry.
According to the latest statistics from South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, South Korea welcomed 7.7 million foreign tourists in the first half of this year, a 73.8% increase compared to the same period last year, equivalent to 91% of the total number of tourists in the first six months of 2019. Among these, tourists from mainland China ranked first, with 2.22 million visitors, making China South Korea’s largest source of foreign tourists. Lotte World, South Korea’s largest indoor theme park, reported a significant increase in the number of foreign visitors. It is expected that 15% of the park’s visitors in the first half of 2024 will be from overseas, an increase of 5% from the previous year. Notably, the number of Chinese tourists has increased more than tenfold year on year.
Post-pandemic, Chinese tourists’ preferences and spending trends have also undergone significant changes. Reports from the Korea Tourism Organization indicate that Chinese tourists to South Korea are mainly focused on beauty treatments, healthcare, dermatology, and fashion. These trends suggest that Chinese tourists have a strong demand for high-quality services and personalised travel experiences. In addition to traditional shopping and beauty treatments, Chinese tourists are also very interested in Korean culture and personalised travel experiences. They enjoy visiting K-drama filming locations and participating in traditional Korean cultural experiences, which provide them with meaningful travel experiences and reflect the growing influence of Korean culture. Moreover, personalised travel services are becoming increasingly popular, as they cater to the diverse needs of different tourists. Travel agencies and platforms now offer customised services to meet these varied needs.
At the same time, China’s “144-hour visa-free transit” policy is expected to attract more South Korean tourists. This growth in China-South Korea tourism exchange indicates that the tourism industries of both countries are developing together, and the tourism market in both countries has a bright future. With the further implementation of convenient measures, the China-South Korea tourism market is expected to become even more prosperous.
Philippines welcomed 199,000 Chinese tourists in first half of 2024
As of July 10, the Philippines has welcomed 3.17 million international tourists this year. Among them, South Korea is the Philippines’ largest source of international tourists, with 824,800 visitors, accounting for 25.99% of all inbound tourists. Other international tourists primarily came from the United States (522,700), China (199,900), Japan (188,800), and Australia (137,400). Canada, Taiwan, the UK, Singapore, and Germany ranked sixth to tenth, respectively.
On the other hand, international tourism revenue in the Philippines increased by over 30% year-on-year (32.8%) in the first half of 2024, reaching 282.17 billion pesos. The Philippine tourism industry is currently focusing on “experiential tourism,” enhancing visitor experiences through culinary, cultural, heritage, and artistic pursuits.