According to China Central Television (CCTV) on the 6th, starting from September 29 this year, South Korea will implement a temporary visa-free policy for Chinese tour group visitors.
On March 20, South Korea's Asia Business Daily reported that to promote the recovery of the tourism industry, the South Korean government planned to implement a visa-free policy for group visitors from China in the third quarter of this year, in hopes of boosting the vitality of South Korea's tourism economy. The report mentioned that according to estimates by the Bank of Korea (South Korea’s central bank), for every additional 1 million Chinese tour group visitors, Korea's economic growth rate will increase by 0.08%.
At the same time, in related plans, South Korea will focus on developing free travel products for the 20–30-year-old demographic in first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. For China’s second- and third-tier cities, efforts will be made to create themed group tours centered around sports events, culinary experiences, beauty, and cultural arts.
In addition, as early as November 2024, China began trial implementation of a visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from South Korea. Chinese media outlet Guancha recently analyzed that the number of South Korean travelers to China has risen rapidly, with destinations such as Shanghai, Dalian, Qingdao, Chongqing, Kunming, and Zhangjiajie repeatedly trending online due to a 'surge in South Korean tourists.'