Incheon braces for surge in Chinese group tours with visa-free entry from Sept. 29
Travelers crowd an Olive Young store inside Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, Monday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hwan-jik
Ports, airport and duty-free shops expect boost ahead of China’s National Day holiday
Incheon Port and Incheon International Airport are preparing for a surge in Chinese group tourists after the Korean government announced it will temporarily allow them visa-free entry starting Sept. 29.
The policy, which will run through June 30 next year, is expected to drive traffic ahead of China’s National Day holiday from Oct. 1 to 7.
The move follows Beijing’s decision last November to restore visa-free entry for Korean travelers, with Seoul now offering reciprocal measures to revive its struggling tourism sector.
Port operators anticipate the policy will revive passenger numbers for Korea-China ferries and cruise ships, which remain below prepandemic levels. Ferries linking Incheon with Chinese cities such as Qingdao and Weihai carried 227,509 passengers from January to July, a 1.5 percent dip from the same period last year and about half of 2019 numbers.
However, figures are starting to rebound. After four months of decline earlier this year, ferry passengers rose by 27.7 percent year-on-year in May, 77.1 percent in June and 54.6 percent in July. Cruise traffic has also surged, with 48,126 passengers between January and July, nearly three times the 16,689 recorded a year earlier.
“With ferry traffic already recovering, we expect the rebound to accelerate once Chinese group tours are allowed visa-free entry,” an Incheon Port Authority official said. “Cruise operators are also making more inquiries.”
A group of Chinese tourists board a bus after arriving at Incheon Port International Passenger Terminal on Nov. 11, 2024. Korea Times photo by Lee Hwan-jik
Duty-free hopes for turnaround
Incheon International Airport’s duty-free shops, which have experienced sluggish sales, are also pinning their hopes on the return of Chinese tour groups. While the number of foreign visitors is rising, average spending has fallen sharply.
Per capita duty-free purchases at the airport dropped from 2.63 million won ($2,000) in 2021, when bulk-buying Chinese tour groups dominated, to about 500,000 won last year, as individual travelers became the main customers.
“High exchange rates and changing consumer habits have made it tough, but the visa waiver for Chinese groups could be a lifeline,” said an official from one duty-free store at the airport. “We are preparing targeted marketing campaigns.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.