South Korea becomes destination of choice for Chinese tourists

South Korea overtook Japan to become the most popular outbound travel destination for Chinese tourists during the New Year holiday, industry data showed, reflecting a shift in regional travel preferences driven by visa policy and airline capacity.

According to online travel platform Qunar, all of the top 10 outbound destinations during the holiday were located in Asia, with Seoul ranking first. Japan, which had dominated outbound travel rankings during several previous holiday periods, dropped behind South Korea this time around.

Booking data from Tongcheng Travel, another major online agency, showed that on the first day of the holiday, most hotel reservations were made in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Bangkok, Macao Special Administrative Region and Seoul, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and several South Korean cities. Notably, demand for hotel rooms in Seoul jumped more than threefold from a year earlier, making it one of the fastest-growing destinations.

Wu Liyun, a professor at the China Academy of Culture and Tourism Industry at Beijing International Studies University, said the surge reflects a combination of favorable visa policy, geographic proximity and cultural affinity.

"Visa-free travel has played a decisive role," she said, noting that China has granted visa-free entry to South Korean visitors, while South Korea has extended similar arrangements to Chinese group tourists. "The policy effect has pushed two-way tourism into a new phase."

In contrast, industry insiders said outbound demand for Japan has been affected by diplomatic friction. Following the erroneous remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding China's Taiwan, Chinese authorities issued travel advisories which prompted a shift in consumer sentiment. In response, Chinese airlines rolled out free refund and ticket change policies on China–Japan routes in mid-November and later extended the measures through the end of March 2026. Analysts expect the impact to continue beyond the New Year holiday and weigh on outbound travel during the upcoming Spring Festival period.

Flight data further underscored South Korea's growing appeal. According to Flight Master, a travel services platform, during the first week of 2026, from Dec 29 to Jan 4, South Korea ranked first among international destinations by weekly flight volume from the Chinese mainland, with 1,012 flights. Thailand followed with 862 flights, while Japan ranked third with 736. Weekly flight volumes on China–South Korea routes have increased for four consecutive weeks, recovering to 97.2 percent of 2019 levels, the highest recovery rate among major international routes.

"The rapid recovery of air connectivity, combined with relatively high cost-effectiveness, has further reinforced travel demand on both sides," Wu added.

Official figures point to a broader rebound in travel between China and South Korea. The Korea National Tourism Organization said that South Korea received 17.42 million foreign visitors between January and November in 2025, up 15.4 percent from a year earlier, with visitors from the Chinese mainland accounting for nearly 30 percent of the total.

Wu highlighted that cultural links remain a strong driver. She cited the enduring popularity of destinations like Zhangjiajie in Hunan among Korean tourists and the appeal of giant panda Fu Bao in Sichuan as examples of "cultural resonance" that encourage repeat visits.

As visa-free travel arrangements expand and flight connectivity improves, South Korean tourists are also exploring a range of Chinese destinations, moving beyond nearby coastal cities such as Weihai, Yantai and Qingdao in Shandong province to destinations including Yunnan and Chongqing. Meanwhile, major Chinese cities like Shanghai have shown strong appeal to South Korean visitors, particularly in leisure and urban tourism.

South Korea's largest carrier, Korean Air, said passenger numbers on its China routes rose markedly in 2025, with Shanghai emerging as the most popular destination among Korean travelers.

"Finishing work on Friday and flying to China is becoming a new trend among young Koreans," South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said recently at a China–South Korea business forum in Beijing.

Looking ahead, experts have called for longer-term bilateral visa-free arrangements, deeper regional cooperation between China and South Korea and better promotion of China's cultural heritage through modern marketing channels to foster continued growth in two-way travel.

"Further policy coordination and product innovation would be key to sustaining the momentum," Wu added.