The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization have launched an all-out campaign to attract Chinese tourists as outbound travel demand from China surges ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
The ministry announced on January 11 that up to 190,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit Korea during the Lunar New Year holiday running from January 15 to 23. The figure represents a 44% increase from the daily average during last year's Lunar New Year period.
Chinese arrivals to Korea already grew 20% in December compared to January last year. This year's Lunar New Year holiday spans nine days, the longest ever, fueling expectations of a sharp rise in visitors.
The ministry and KTO are intensifying local marketing efforts targeting individual Chinese tourists, who accounted for 70% of arrivals last year. Since last month, KTO has partnered with Chinese lifestyle platform JD.com, online travel agency Ctrip, and mobile payment service WeChat Pay.
KTO's Beijing office launched one-day Korea tour packages with JD.com. The Shanghai office is offering transportation discounts through Ctrip, including deals on direct flights and KTX high-speed rail bookings. The Guangzhou office is promoting winter travel to Gangwon Province for southern Chinese residents who rarely see snow, offering souvenirs for families with children.
In Korea, KTO and Alipay will jointly operate a "Welcome Event Zone" in Myeongdong, setting up photo booths to create memorable experiences around convenient payment options. Jeju International Airport will run a hospitality booth themed around the Year of the Horse, distributing red horse keychains and promoting sustainable tourism under Jeju's eco-friendly slogan "Promise with Jeju."
"In northern China, family travel demand has increased with winter vacation, and bookings for Korea tour packages have grown four to five times compared to last year," said the head of KTO's China Regional Center. "In Shandong Province, preferences for dual-destination packages to Seoul and Busan are rising, with group tours becoming more premium."
A ministry official said, "Chinese travel to Korea has shifted toward extended stays immersed in daily Korean life. The ministry will continue supporting Chinese tourists in experiencing everyday Korean culture, including K-beauty, K-food, and K-content."