Starting from September 29, visa-free entry for group tourists from China consisting of three or more people will be permitted, which is expected to boost optimism about surpassing 20 million inbound tourists for the first time in history this year due to the anticipated increase in Chinese visitors.
On September 7, the government announced the detailed implementation plan for the visa-free entry system for Chinese group tourists.
Group Tourists of Three or More Can Travel Nationwide for Up to 15 Days
According to the government announcement, the temporary visa-free entry system for Chinese group tourists will be in effect from September 29 of this year until June 30 of next year. Chinese group tourists of three or more people, recruited by designated travel agencies, will be able to travel throughout the country without a visa for up to 15 days. Domestic designated travel agencies will be appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, while overseas designated travel agencies (visa application agencies) will be designated by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China.
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, which is subject to the 'Special Act on the Establishment of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Creation of an International Free City,' will continue to allow both individual and group tourists from China to enter without a visa for up to 30 days, as before.
With visa-free entry now permitted, Chinese group tourists can save both time and money that would otherwise be spent on visa issuance. Typically, it takes about one to two weeks to obtain a visa, and considerable fees are incurred during the process. Therefore, the tourism industry expects that allowing visa-free entry will help attract more Chinese group tourists.
First-Ever 20 Million Inbound Tourists Expected
Expectations are rising for the opening of an era with 20 million inbound tourists this year. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the cumulative number of inbound tourists as of July this year reached 10,559,166, the highest ever recorded. This figure is 15.9% higher than the 9,109,906 recorded during the same period last year, and 6.8% higher than the 9,887,281 recorded by July in 2019, which was the previous record year for annual inbound tourists.
Given that the peak season for the travel industry is usually September to October and that the number of foreign tourists tends to increase in the second half of the year, there is growing optimism that this year's inbound tourist numbers could surpass not only the 17,502,756 recorded in 2019 but also the government's target of 18.5 million, potentially exceeding 20 million for the first time ever. To maximize the impact of increased Chinese tourism demand, the government has allowed visa-free entry ahead of the Chinese National Day holiday (October 1-7).
The government stated that the implementation of the temporary visa-free entry system for Chinese group tourists is expected to have a positive ripple effect across the tourism industry, including the food service, accommodation, and duty-free sectors. It is also anticipated to revitalize local economies by increasing the influx of tourists not only to the Seoul metropolitan area but also to major regional destinations. Additionally, the government expects this measure to significantly contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Korea and China through increased bilateral exchanges.
Immediate Disqualification of Designated Travel Agencies for Unauthorized Departures by Intent or Collusion
However, concerns have been raised that easier entry for Chinese tourists could lead to an increase in illegal stays due to unauthorized departures during tours. The rise of low-cost package tours and intensified competition among domestic tourism companies have also been pointed out as potential side effects.
The government plans to strengthen administrative sanctions to minimize side effects such as illegal stays if unauthorized departures occur among group tourists recruited by designated travel agencies, both domestic and overseas.
In particular, if an incident of unauthorized departure by intent or collusion occurs among Chinese group tourists recruited by a domestic designated travel agency, the agency's qualification will be immediately revoked. The threshold for revoking designation based on the average quarterly unauthorized departure rate will also be tightened from the previous 5% or higher to 2% or higher. Furthermore, if a travel agency has a history of administrative sanctions due to unauthorized departures, its evaluation score will be reduced, and in the event of designation revocation due to unauthorized departures, the agency will be barred from re-designation for the next two years. The government also announced plans to strengthen monitoring and education, including prohibiting low-cost tourism and forced shopping, providing guidance for group tour leaders, and increasing efforts to prevent unauthorized departures.
For overseas designated travel agencies, those with a record of administrative suspension (six months or longer) within the past two years as of the application date will be excluded from designation. If the average quarterly unauthorized departure rate is 2% or higher, the agency's designation will be revoked, and the same measures will apply to agencies handling general visa or group electronic visa applications at overseas diplomatic missions.
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