South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Monday it will go all-out to draw back Chinese travellers to capitalize on China’s recent lifting of its ban on group travel to dozens of countries, through measures such as exempting Chinese tourists from visa issuance fees and fostering the development of premium tourism packages.
“We will aim to triple the number of Chinese tourists recorded in the first half of 2023 (500,000) in the second half of 2023, and ultimately draw in an annual total of 2 million Chinese tourists,” said a ministry official via a press release.
“Such a boost in the number of tourists is estimated to result in 0.16 per cent growth in the nation’s gross domestic product,” he added.
In order to achieve this goal, the ministry said, fees for issuing electronic visas for Chinese group tourists, which currently cost 18,000 won ($13), will be exempted until the end of the year to attract Chinese travellers.
The Tourism Ministry added the number of flights flying to and from Korea and China would be increased, and to facilitate maritime travel, berths or beds will also be designated on cruise ships travelling to and from the two countries in a speedy fashion.
Immediate tax refund policy systems will be implemented at 200 additional locations nationwide, including K-beauty outlets and pharmacies in major tourist areas. The Tourism Ministry added that starting in 2024, it will expand the tax refund policy to have the minimum standard amount that can be refunded at duty-free shops reduced from 30,000 won to 15,000 won. The upper limit on the amount of taxes that can immediately be refunded will also be raised from 500,000 won to 700,000 won.
The Tourism Ministry said it also plans to foster the development of premium tourism packages such as medical tourism packages and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism packages.
The bill received proposals from regions, the Presidential Administration, the Security Council, federal agencies, public organizations, and nearly 1,500 citizen appeals.
The forum, which brought together experts from a wide range of industries, hosted approximately 50 business events across three thematic areas: economics and investment, architecture and integrated territorial development, and tourism and hospitality.
This collaboration reflects a broader shift toward discovery-led destination development, bringing together Klook's data and digital infrastructure with OCTB's on-the-ground expertise to shape how travelers experience Osaka beyond its city center.
France has once again cemented its position as the world’s most visited destination, welcoming 102 million international tourists in 2025 – up from 100 million in 2024 – while posting a sharp 9% jump in tourism revenues.
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