South Korea Boosts Tourism With A transformative new Visa-Free Policy For Chinese Travelers, surging Growth And Global Appeal
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South Korea unveils a bold visa-free policy for Chinese tour groups to boost tourism and economic growth, with details expected in April and implementation in Q3 2025.
South Korea’s Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy, Choi Sang-mok, has unveiled plans to introduce a visa-free policy for Chinese tour groups, with official details expected in April and implementation slated for the third quarter of this year.
This policy aims to boost tourism and economic growth by granting conditional visa-free entry to Chinese travelers. While it may not drastically alter the tourism landscape in Northeast Asia, it marks a key move in fortifying South Korea’s tourism sector.
In 2023, South Korea revived its pre-pandemic visa-free policy for cruise passengers, allowing eligible international tourists to stay for up to 90 days. By late 2024, the country launched a special visa exemption for Chinese cruise travelers, allowing stays of up to three days, underscoring the country’s focus on the Chinese travel market.
The new policy expands this focus, applying to both land and air arrivals, offering broader flexibility than previous measures.
Inbound tourism to South Korea saw a 27% year-on-year increase in January 2025, 39% higher than pre-pandemic levels, reflecting a strong recovery. However, Japan recorded a 41% increase in the same period, underscoring its superior tourism infrastructure and international appeal. Even when accounting for geographical and population differences, South Korea’s tourism potential still trails behind Japan, suggesting significant room for expansion.
For this policy to achieve its full potential, South Korea must not only enhance and diversify offerings in major cities but also invest in tourism infrastructure in smaller cities to drive broader market growth.
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