Seoul rolls out red carpet as Chinese group tours return

Chinese group tourists arrive at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday as the country lifted its ban on group tours to Korea last week. [YONHAP]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government rolled out plans targeting Chinese tourists as China lifted its ban on outbound tour groups to Korea.

The city government will begin local promotions next month by hosting networking sessions between businesses in Beijing and Shanghai along with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). It hopes the sessions will restore connections between tour-related businesses that were lost due to the pandemic.

A public relation hall jointly run by the city government and KTO will also be found at the 2023 China International Travel Mart, the largest travel fair in China, in November to recruit more Chinese tourists, also known as youke, to Seoul.

The city government will organize special welcoming events in Seoul during China’s Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day golden week from September 26 through October 6.

This marks the first time in four years that the city set a welcoming week for foreign tourists since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Events such as drone shows near the Han River and the Seoul International Firework Festival will take place during this period.

Products and strategies will also be developed targeting young Chinese consumers, who are considered major travelers to Korea, according to the city government.

Seoul will promote and sell its tourism products on Chinese online channels, such as Chinese social media Weibo and online travel agency Ctrip.

Shops and businesses using Chinese payment methods such as Alipay and WeChat Pay will be expanded in the country as Chinese tourists are more familiar with such payment methods over credit cards.

“The government hopes tourism in Seoul, which was heavily affected by the pandemic, will revive through this opportunity, as China used to be the biggest customer of tourism in Seoul,” said Kim Young-hwan, the city government’s director general of the tourism and sports bureau.

The city government also promised to take precautionary actions to prevent Seoul citizens from facing any inconveniences from the influx of Chinese tourists by diversifying tourism products and warning tourists to mind their manners at tour sites near residential areas.

Beijing lifted its ban on group tours to Korea last Friday for the first time in six years after restricting such tours in 2017 followed by Seoul's decision to allow the United States to deploy its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, also known as Thaad, antimissile system in Korea.

According to KTO’s data, some 150,000 Chinese tourists visited Korea in June. This is up nearly 10,000 from the previous year but still far lower than June 2016’s 740,000, before Beijing restricted group tours to Korea.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]