Korean tourism has many advantages but it is difficult to break through

Chinese airlines being asked to refund tickets to Japan until the end of the year has forced hundreds of thousands of passengers to change their travel plans at short notice.

This coincides with the time when Korean airlines are expanding routes to the Chinese market, which has high demand and brings in significant profits.

Korean Air has increased the frequency of its Incheon-Fuzhou route from three to four flights per week, while Asiana Airlines aims to reach 165 flights per week to China by March 2026, a 20% increase in capacity.

Data from travel platform Qunar shows that as of November 15, South Korea has surpassed Japan to become the most searched overseas destination by Chinese tourists.

In terms of airfare payments and search volume, South Korea also ranked first, followed by Thailand, Hong Kong (China), Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia.

As of October 2025, South Korea had welcomed 4.7 million Chinese tourists, exceeding the total number of visitors for the whole of last year. However, according to travel agencies, Chinese tourists now have too many attractive alternatives, especially visa-free countries.

Li Xiaoya, a travel agent in Beijing, said that Japan tours have been almost completely canceled, and the company is directing customers to Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and other destinations. Visa-free destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Egypt are popular with young travelers.

Tongcheng Travel recorded a 240% increase in hotel bookings by Chinese tourists to South Korea in the last two weeks of November compared to the same period last year. However, Vietnam and Indonesia also saw increases of over 100%, while Germany and Spain saw increases of up to 300%.

Russia has become a phenomenon in the past week thanks to its policy of visa exemption for Chinese tourists for up to 30 days. After this announcement, the number of searches and bookings for travel to Russia skyrocketed, making this country a winter destination that directly competes with South Korea.

Qunar said that during the 2026 winter holiday (January 15 - February 10), Thailand led the number of bookings from China, while Russia recorded a 1.5-fold increase compared to the previous year.

A travel agency employee in Korea said that the number of winter tour bookings from the Chinese market has increased slightly, but not enough to create a breakthrough.

Chinese tourists have too many options to experience winter, from home to Russia or European countries. Korea is facing a lot of competition.

A Chinese airline representative in Shanghai said the company had initially planned to reduce capacity to Thailand in November and December, but the situation had reversed that plan. Thailand has seen an increase in visitors each year during the winter, and this year the trend has been more pronounced.

Still, South Korea remains a big draw, especially for visitors from big cities like Shanghai. Willow Zhao, a 27-year-old PhD student, said she was considering Seoul after cancelling her trip to Japan, mainly because of its proximity and the appeal of duty-free K-shopping.

However, Korea’s strict visa policy is the biggest obstacle. Currently, only package tour travelers are exempt from visas, while independent travelers must apply for a full visa.

“I really wanted to go to Seoul, but the visa application process was too complicated. So I chose another destination even though Korea was on my priority list,” said Xie Lumei, an accountant from Fujian.

Amid the wave of Chinese tourists changing direction, South Korea has great opportunities but also faces challenges. Although its advantages of proximity, shopping and K-pop help attract tourists, strict visas and competition from Thailand, Russia and Southeast Asia make it difficult for the country to break out.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/du-lich-han-quoc-du-co-nhieu-loi-the-nhung-kho-but-pha-185729.html