By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter
To ensure the success of the Visit Korea 2010-2012 campaign, many believe it is vital for Korea to host as many Chinese tourists as possible.
By 2020, the government wants to have 10 million Chinese tourists visit the country, but industry experts say the figure is unachievable unless Korea introduces a visa waiver program for Chinese tourists.
Visitors from China currently make up one of the largest groups of foreign tourists to Korea after those from Japan. A total of 1.3 million Chinese people visited Korea last year, representing some 17 percent of the total number of foreign visitors.
A recent survey shows that the number of Chinese tourists declined this year compared to the same period last year, despite the launch of the "Visit Korea Year" campaign.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the number of overseas tourists in February was estimated at 639,000, a 4.2 percent drop from the same period in 2009. In January, 569,453 foreign tourists entered Korea, a 6.3 percent drop from the previous year.
The decline in overseas tourists is largely due to the decreased number of those from China, according to the Korea Association of Travel Agents (KATA).
Compared to last year, there was a 39.3 percent decline in the number of Chinese tourists in January hosted by travel agencies that provide package tours.
Some Chinese visitors have complained of a lack of Chinese-language signs, high costs and heavy traffic as inconveniences in traveling in Korea, and many are also asking for eased entry regulations for tourists.
Korea has pursued the visa waiver program, but prospects remain uncertain. The visa issue is reportedly one of the agenda items for the foreign ministers' meeting between the two countries Thursday.
"We can't be highly selective and attract tourists. Korea should get rid of the Chinese visa policy," said Samuel Koo, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization.
The goal for the visit Korea campaign was set with the "prevailing assumption that the visa requirement would soon disappear for the Chinese," he added. The KTO is targeting 8.5 million foreign tourists in 2010.
"American visas are no longer required for Koreans. The Japanese have also lifted visa requirements for Koreans," he said, stressing that there are more advantages for Korea in lifting visa regulations for overseas tourists, and Chinese tourists in particular.
Currently, about 9 percent of the total number of Chinese travelers going overseas visit Korea. The KTO wants to see the figure go up to 30 percent, considering the geographical proximity between the two countries.
Last year, Chinese tourists spent around $2.3 billion in Korea.