"Why Is My Tax Money Spent on Chinese Tourists?" Provincial Website Flooded Over 50,000 Won Per Person Payment

Gyeongnam Province: "Support Provided to All Foreigners, Not Just Chinese"
Program Implemented Since 2010 Under Local Ordinance

Illustration of accommodation fee support for Chinese tourists. Asia Economy DB

After it became known that Gyeongsangnam-do would provide accommodation fee incentives to Chinese group tourists entering the country visa-free, a large number of civil complaints demanding the suspension of this support were posted on the Gyeongnam Provincial Government website. However, the provincial government clarified that accommodation support is not provided exclusively to Chinese tourists, and that since 2010, it has been offering support to all foreign group tourists who stay at local accommodations for at least one night.

According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Government and Yonhap News on August 18, more than 40 posts demanding an end to accommodation support for Chinese tourists were uploaded to the provincial website between August 14 and 17. The main complaint was about why taxpayer money should be given to Chinese tourists.

An excerpt from the press release on attracting Chinese-speaking tourists distributed by the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government on the 12th. Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government

The controversy began with a press release issued by Gyeongsangnam-do on August 12, announcing the launch of extended-stay tourism products for Chinese group tourists in line with a temporary government policy allowing visa-free entry for Chinese groups. The release stated that the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation would provide accommodation support of 50,000 won per tourist.

Local residents expressed negative reactions, saying, "I oppose giving 50,000 won to Chinese tourists," "As a Gyeongnam resident, I am ashamed," and "Why is my tax money being given to Chinese people?"

Gyeongnam Province: "Support is not limited to Chinese tourists... Provided to all foreigners since 2010"

However, the provincial government explained that accommodation support is not limited to Chinese tourists. Since enacting an ordinance in 2009, it has been providing budget support to tourism businesses that arrange for both domestic and foreign group tourists to stay at local accommodations for at least one night.

As of May this year, Gyeongnam Province provided accommodation incentives to group tourists from Taiwan (758 people), the United States (434 people), Japan (91 people), and Singapore (29 people) who visited between January and May. The provincial government reiterated that the support is not given directly to foreign tourists, but rather to the local accommodation industry.

Gyeongnam Province Tourism Products for Extended Stay Sold by Chinese Travel Agencies. Gyeongnam Province

The provincial government stated, "This special promotion is expected to maximize the effect of attracting tourists, contribute significantly to encouraging longer stays in Gyeongnam, and directly benefit the local accommodation industry by promoting the use of local facilities."

Sung Pil-sang, Head of Tourism Marketing at the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation, said, "The Chinese-speaking market is a key sector for Gyeongnam tourism. We will effectively showcase the region's attractions through newly developed inter-city tourism products and translate this into tangible results in attracting tourists."