酒店短缺或阻碍韩旅游大计，引韩业界担忧

Group 1 - The South Korean government announced a temporary visa waiver policy for Chinese group tourists from September 29 to June 30 next year, aiming to stimulate tourism demand and boost the local economy [1] - The tourism industry anticipates that the visa waiver will simplify entry procedures for Chinese tourists and enhance tourism consumption, following a similar policy implemented by China last year [1] - In the first half of this year, South Korea received 2.527 million Chinese tourists, a year-on-year increase of 13.9%, recovering to 90% of the levels seen in the same period of 2019 [1] Group 2 - Despite the expected surge in tourist numbers, there are concerns about insufficient supply infrastructure, as hotel room availability in Seoul decreased by 1.2% by the end of last year compared to 2021 [2] - The rapid increase in foreign tourists, from approximately 970,000 to around 16 million, has led to significant accommodation shortages [2] - The industry is worried that if supply issues persist, it could lead to skyrocketing accommodation prices and difficulties in booking, which may hinder the attraction of foreign tourists [2]