5-Year Visa Issued for High-Cost Chinese Tourists in 2017

Hi?

I am Eddie Kwon, a Koea toyr interpreter and guide.

Today, I would like to post about new visa plans targeting at rich Chinese tourists.

Korea plans to issue five-year visas to Chinese tourists who buy travel packages worth more than 3 million won (about $2,500), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on December 16th.

 

The government will issue a special visa called "Hallyu visa", named after the Korean pop culture phenomenon, as early as January next year for Chinese tourists who buy four-day tour packages of 3 million won or more.

 

The visa will allow them to visit Korea freely many times for five years. Visa holders will be able to stay for up to 30 days during each visit.

 

According to Yoon Yang-soo, a director in charge of international tourism at the ministry, the ministry designs the visa plan to attract more affluent Chinese tourists by enhancing the quality control of tour packages, saying that  low-cost Chinese group tours that have turned into cheap stays and forced shopping mainly have eroded the competitiveness of the local tourism industry.

 

Some Korean tour companies have been earning money by filling the packages with nonstop shopping trips and receiving commissions from vendors. With these "dumping tours" tourists are forced to nothing but shopping programs.

 

According to the ministry's estimate, more than 100 million Chinese tourists have visited Korea as of last year and that number is expected to increase to 200 million by 2020.

 

The government expects the number of Chinese tourists who visited Korea this year to reach 8 million, which will account for almost half of the total number of foreign tourists.

 

The ministry expects about 300,000 Chinese tourists to get the Hallyu visa next year and 700,000 more by 2020.

 

"We hope affluent Chinese tourists will open their wallets, which could contribute to reviving the slow-down domestic economy," Yoon said.

 

According to the official, the Hallyu visa is the first of its kind that links with tour packages targeting the rich visitors.

 

Many countries have been competing to attract more Chinese tourists by providing various conveniences for them.

 

Japan, which lured 5.5 million Chinese tourists from January to October this year, lowered the threshold for their visa issuance. Thailand, which attracted 7.93 million Chinese tourists last year, the highest number among all countries, has been trying to upgrade the quality of its tour packages.

 

Along with the plan for the Hallyu visa, the Korean government also plans to develop premium travel packages targeting at wealthy Chinese tourists. Those premium packages will likely include lodging at five-star hotels, medical checkups and art and cultural performances.

 

For example, one package costing 5.6 million won includes a tour through the Korea Furniture Museum in Seongbuk-dong, northern Seoul, that Chinese President Xi Jinping ever visited.