Travellers opt for Japan over South Korea

South Korea is expected to see fewer Chinese tourists during the “golden week” holiday compared with pre-pandemic levels, travel agents say, as holidaymakers are increasingly favouring visa-free destinations and Japan, enticed by a weakened yen.

Wang Xin, of Beijing Tianping International Travel, who specialises in visa services, said the number of people seeking South Korean travel visa services had dropped by at least a third compared with five years ago.

“This year, many Chinese went to Japan instead, thanks to the low exchange rate,” Wang said, adding that the number of clients who came to him for Japanese visas before the start of the five-day holiday was up at least 20 per cent from 2019.

People are flocking to Japan as the yen has fallen to a threedecade low against the US dollar, spending generously and propelling Japan to the status of most-sought-after destination during the holiday.

“If many travellers choose Korea primarily for shopping, and with Japan offering more favourable exchange rates, it’s logical that this portion of travellers would shift towards Japan,” said Zhou Mingqi, founder of tourism consultancy Jingjian Consulting.

“One country’s loss is another country’s gain.”

Tourists are also showing a preference for countries that do not require a travel visa, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Georgia and Egypt.

“Chinese travellers now have more options for their outbound trips. In situations where Korea’s relationship with China is not friendly, Chinese tourists can choose to visit other countries,” said Zhang Huizhi, a professor of Northeast Asian studies at Jilin University in China.

“Additionally, many countries now offer visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, making travel more convenient. Korea, on the other hand, still requires visa applications and other procedures, lacking competitiveness in terms of convenience.”