China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Aug. 10 announced the resumption of group travel by its nationals to 78 countries including Korea. Shown is the departure hall at Incheon International Airport's Terminal 2 on Aug. 4. (Yonhap News)
China has reallowed group tours to Korea three years and seven months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Aug. 10 announced the resumption of group travel by its nationals to 78 countries including Korea, the U.S. and Japan.
"After the trial resumption of travel agency operations related to overseas group tours by Chinese citizens, the travel market has operated smoothly overall and promoted a positive role in travel exchange and cooperation."
Korea will thus see the return of Chinese group tours for the first time in around six years. In 2016, Seoul set up the American anti-ballistic missile defense system Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, prompting Beijing to retaliate by virtually banning Chinese tourist agencies in 2017 from selling group tours to Korea.
Such tours were partially resumed from 2018-19 but suspended again after the outbreak of the coronavirus in 2020.
With this announcement, Chinese tourists can visit 12 countries in Asia including Korea, Japan and Myanmar, 8 in North and Central America like the U.S. and Mexico, and 6 in South America such as Colombia and Peru. Group travel to 27 countries in Europe, 7 in Oceania and 18 in Africa is also permitted.
The Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also said it will aggressively attract Chinese tourists to the country.
It will hold the K-Tourism Road Show in China in time for National Day, China's biggest holiday lasting from Sept. 29-Oct. 6. Business-to-business consulting between Korean and Chinese companies will be held in Beijing on Sept. 13 and Shanghai on Sept. 15.
From Sept. 16-17, promotional events are planned for Korean beauty and fashion, shopping, food tourism and regional travel content at the Shanghai shopping mall, Shanghai Global Harbor.
"Since March, we've boosted screening for product planning capacity when designating travel agencies for China and resumed in May the Jeju visa-free transit system for Chinese tour groups," the Korean ministry said. "We will also open visa application centers in Beijing and Shenyang to make visa application and issuance more convenient."
hrhr@korea.kr
