韩国试行中国团游免签，中国游客“说走就走”能否提振韩国经济

Core Points - The South Korean government has implemented a visa-free entry policy for Chinese group tourists starting from September 29 until June 30 of the following year, allowing groups of three or more to stay for 15 days [1][2] - The policy aims to boost tourism during the Chinese National Day holiday and is expected to have a significant economic impact, as each additional 1 million Chinese tourists can increase South Korea's GDP by 0.08 percentage points [2][10] - The interest in traveling to South Korea has increased among Chinese tourists, with a reported 152.2% year-on-year increase in group participation during the holiday period [3] Visa Policy and Economic Impact - The visa-free policy is limited to group tours, while individual travelers still need to apply for a visa, which may reduce its attractiveness compared to other destinations like Singapore and Thailand [2] - The South Korean government aims to attract 5.36 million Chinese tourists this year, highlighting the economic importance of Chinese visitors to South Korea [2][10] - The tourism sector in South Korea is relatively small, contributing about 3% to the GDP, indicating potential for growth in this area [10] Industry Response - Travel agencies in Guangdong have reported a 40% increase in inquiries for trips to South Korea following the announcement of the visa-free policy, with a shift in demand towards diverse experiences [3][4] - South Korean retailers and the tourism industry are preparing for the influx of Chinese tourists by hiring Chinese-speaking staff and enhancing services, such as mobile payment options [4][5] - The policy is seen as a reciprocal gesture to China's unilateral visa-free policy for South Korean tourists, which has already led to a significant increase in visitors to China [5][6] Market Trends - There is a growing trend among Chinese tourists towards personalized and in-depth travel experiences, which may limit the effectiveness of the group tour visa-free policy [6][7] - The competitive landscape in the Asia-Pacific region poses challenges for South Korea, necessitating a focus on value propositions such as cultural experiences and convenient services [8] - The overall increase in Chinese tourist numbers to South Korea has been notable, with a 16.8% rise in visitors from January to July compared to the previous year [9]