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Planned cruise ship voyages from China to Busan rise 21-fold in 2026: Gov't

Published: 19 Jan. 2026, 16:32

The 69,000-ton AIDAdiva, operated by Germany’s AIDA Cruises, is seen docked at Busan Port on Jan. 12. [BUSAN PORT AUTHORITY]

The number of Chinese cruise ship operations from China to Korea's southeastern port city of Busan is expected to surge 21-fold on-year in 2026, government data showed Monday, amid the country's temporary visa waiver scheme for Chinese tourists.

A total of 173 Chinese cruise ship voyages are scheduled for the Port of Busan, Korea's largest seaport, this year, compared to just eight operations last year, according to the data from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

The number of tourists expected to arrive from the ships is projected to top 800,000 this year, the ministry said.

Seoul announced in September that it would waive visa requirements for Chinese group tourists for nine months to lure more foreign visitors. Groups of three or more Chinese nationals may now enter Korea without visas for stays of up to 15 days.

To meet the massive influx of Chinese tourists via Busan this year, the ministry held a meeting Monday with related institutions to devise countermeasures, including ways to expedite immigration and accommodate faster entries.

Yonhap