The number of Chinese tourists is expected to increase by 18% compared to the previous year by March. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with the Korea Tourism Organization, has announced the opening of ‘K-Tourism Roadshows’ in Beijing and Shanghai, aimed at the Chinese market, to further boost inbound tourism.
Last year, 4.6 million Chinese tourists visited South Korea, making China the top market for inbound tourism. Early this year, the market has been stable, with expectations of 1.2 million Chinese tourists in the first quarter, a rise of about 18% from the same period last year. To capitalize on this recovery, ‘K-Tourism Roadshows’ started on March 6 in Guangzhou and will continue on the 25th in Beijing and the 27th in Shanghai.
With a growing preference for individual travel among Chinese tourists post-pandemic, new themes reflecting characteristics such as gender and region have been developed to expand demand for travel to Korea. The preference for small-group experiential tours has led to the selection of 148 themes across sports, gastronomy, beauty, religion, and arts, promoting the development of thematic group travel products.
In Guangzhou, the roadshow showcased spring blossom and regional tourism, resulting in a cooperation agreement with the Guangdong Tourism Association for large group attractions in the exhibition complex industry (MICE).
The Beijing and Shanghai events are expected to be the largest ‘K-Tourism Roadshows,’ with 330 participants representing 74 Korean and over 100 Chinese tourism-related organizations. In Beijing, the roadshow at the Beijing Nuo Hotel will involve participants from various sectors including tourism, hospitality, health, and media, aiming to market Korean tourism to travel agencies and platforms in the Beijing and North China areas while fostering cooperation between Korean and Chinese tourism industries. A ‘Night of Korea-China Tourism Exchange’ will see the first-ever friendly cooperation agreement between the Korea Association of Travel Agents and the China Travel Association.
In Shanghai, the roadshow at the MGM Hotel will promote ‘K-Tourism Sales’ to the East and Central China travel industry, focusing on the young 2030 generation, considering the high number of flight operations and individual visa issuances from the region, and its proximity and mature travel market characteristics.
Kim Jeong-hun, Director of the Ministry’s Tourism Policy Bureau, stated that Korea’s unique resources, such as e-sports and K-pop, as well as everyday Korean experiences like visiting beauty salons, convenience stores, and cafes, are attractive to Chinese tourists. He anticipated that the ‘K-Tourism Roadshows’ in Beijing and Shanghai would further enhance demand for Chinese tourists visiting Korea.