赚麻了！中国游客赴韩引爆“春节经济”

Group 1 - During the longest Spring Festival holiday, a significant influx of Chinese tourists to South Korea has led to record-high sales in duty-free shops, convenience stores, and beauty retail sectors [1][3] - The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism predicted a 44% year-on-year increase in Chinese visitors during the holiday period, estimating around 190,000 visitors, with some market analysts projecting numbers could rise to between 230,000 and 250,000 [1][3] - The Bank of Korea noted that for every additional 1 million Chinese tourists, South Korea's economic growth could increase by 0.08 percentage points [1] Group 2 - Sales data from Lotte Duty Free indicated a 120% year-on-year increase in foreign customer sales during the Spring Festival promotional period, with sales from Chinese customers surging by 260%, marking the highest sales record for the holiday [3][4] - Convenience store GS25 reported a 99.5% year-on-year increase in sales to Chinese customers during the holiday, while Olive Young, a major beauty retail chain, also experienced significant growth in foreign customer sales [3][4] - The overall consumption by Chinese tourists during this period is estimated to reach approximately $330 million [4] Group 3 - The surge in Chinese tourists is attributed to new visa policies and increased flight availability, with a phased visa waiver policy for group tourists set to begin in September 2025 [5] - The number of flights between China and South Korea is expected to increase significantly, with passenger transport projected to reach over 10.86 million in 2025, a 22% increase from 2024 [5] - As of February 2026, flight capacity between China and South Korea has recovered to 97.2% of pre-pandemic levels, with a notable rise in cruise travel from China to South Korea [5] Group 4 - The trend of Chinese tourists has shifted from large group tours to more independent travel, with a wider variety of destinations being chosen beyond traditional spots like Jeju Island and Seoul [6] - The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts that the tourism sector will contribute approximately 96.2 trillion won to South Korea's economy this year, accounting for 4.3% of the total economic output [6] - The tourism industry is currently assessing whether the "Spring Festival bonus" from Chinese tourists will continue throughout the year, with predictions suggesting that the number of Chinese visitors to South Korea could reach 6.15 million this year [6]