Chinese Tourists Increase by 537.5% Compared to Last Year
Jeju Island, which had been plagued by controversies over 'high prices and overcharging,' has solidified its status as a 'tourism hub' by surpassing 10 million tourists ahead of schedule. Despite concerns that tourists would avoid the island due to complaints about 'excessive prices,' many domestic travelers chose Jeju over overseas trips during the Chuseok holiday, and the number of Chinese visitors surged by more than 500%, allowing Jeju to break the 10 million tourist mark faster than last year.
On the morning of the 19th, vacationers visiting Hyeopjae Beach in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, are enjoying water activities. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Tourism Association, the provisional number of tourists arriving in Jeju this year reached 10,084,939 as of the 19th. Of these, 8,669,536 were domestic tourists and 1,415,403 were foreign visitors. Jeju surpassed the 10 million tourist milestone on the 17th, achieving this target 12 days earlier than last year.
In fact, until the first half of this year, the tourism atmosphere in Jeju had not been recovering well. Looking at the domestic tourist arrivals from January to August, the number of tourists decreased by between 2% and 13% compared to the same months last year. The controversy over Jeju's 'overcharging' had grown, drawing complaints from domestic tourists and casting a red light on Jeju's position as a tourist destination.
However, by successfully attracting domestic tourists during the Chuseok holiday period, there is a strong possibility that visitor numbers in September will turn upward. During the period from the 12th to the 18th of this month, which coincided with the Chuseok holiday, a provisional total of 305,454 tourists visited Jeju, exceeding the initial estimate of 297,000. Jeju's efforts to address the overcharging controversy by forming the Jeju Tourism Innovation Emergency Countermeasures Committee and launching the Jeju Tourism Inconvenience Reporting Center appear to have positively influenced the domestic tourism market.
Behind the haenyeo statue on the coast of Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju Island, the wind turbines of the Tamna Offshore Wind Power Complex are turning. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
The increase in Chinese tourists visiting Jeju also contributed to the turnaround in the tourism atmosphere. In July, 827,942 Chinese tourists accounted for 75% of the total foreign visitors (1,103,691). This represents a 537.5% increase compared to last year (129,881). When compared to the growth rates of tourists from Hong Kong (281.5%), Indonesia (205.4%), Taiwan (123.9%), and the United States (56.5%), the difference is significant. The proportion of foreign visitors to Korea who visit Jeju has also increased from 8% in 2018 and 9.9% in 2019 to 12.1% during January to July this year.
The reason Chinese tourists prefer Jeju is that it is a visa-free entry area. Visa-free entry allows foreign visitors to stay for up to 30 days without a visa. Jeju is the only region in Korea where visa-free entry is permitted. Additionally, direct flights from Chinese cities such as Zhengzhou, Qingdao, and Guangzhou to Jeju make it a popular short-distance travel destination. Flight times are approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes from Zhengzhou and 1 hour and 30 minutes from Qingdao.
The island's pristine natural environment and tourism infrastructure are also key attractions. Jeju boasts major tourist sites including Hallasan Mountain and Seongsan Ilchulbong, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as various museums and theme parks. Recently, Udo Island's emerald sea and harmonious white sandy beaches have gained popularity among Chinese tourists, earning it the nickname 'the Maldives of the East.'
Convenience for Chinese tourists is also cited as a factor in its popularity. Since August, Jeju has introduced a QR code payment system on all buses across the island. The payment is mediated by Zero Pay, a mobile payment system based on bank accounts, which is linked to popular Chinese payment apps such as Alipay and WeChat Pay. This allows Chinese tourists to easily pay bus fares using their familiar domestic payment methods.
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