South Korea’s Jeju Island Leads The Charge In Attracting Chinese Tourists With Exclusive Discounts And Special Offers

Published on September 26, 2025

South Korea’s Jeju Island is starring nan complaint successful attracting Chinese tourists, acknowledgment to a operation of exclusive discounts, typical offers, and tailored experiences designed specifically for this market. With nan caller preamble of a impermanent visa-free introduction programme for Chinese group travelers, Jeju Island is positioning itself arsenic nan cardinal destination for Chinese tourists, offering perks that cater to their preferences and needs. Jeju Dream Tower, for example, is offering a 10% discount for visitors who usage Alipay and WeChat Pay, on pinch further eating and shopping benefits. These offers, on pinch Jeju Shinhwa World’s complimentary taxable parkland introduction done 2025, are designed to make nan land much appealing and accessible to Chinese travelers. As a result, Jeju Island is not only benefitting from nan caller visa argumentation but besides capitalizing connected targeted incentives that guarantee it remains nan apical prime for Chinese visitors, strengthening its domiciled successful South Korea’s tourism recovery.

South Korea is preparing for a surge successful Chinese visitors arsenic nan authorities introduces a impermanent visa-free introduction programme for Chinese group travelers. This caller initiative, which originates connected September 29 and will tally until June 30, 2026, allows Chinese circuit groups of 3 aliases much to participate South Korea without a visa for up to 15 days. This marks nan astir important easing of recreation restrictions since nan pandemic and offers a important opportunity for South Korea’s tourism and casino industries, which trust heavy connected Chinese tourists.

Industry leaders are hopeful that this argumentation will revive South Korea’s foreigner-only casinos, which person been struggling successful caller years owed to nan absence of Chinese visitors. In nan first half of 2025, Chinese visitors to South Korea reached astir 2.54 million, astir recovering to 90% of nan numbers seen successful 2019, according to nan Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). The upcoming October Golden Week vacation successful China will service arsenic nan first existent trial for nan effectiveness of nan caller visa-free policy.

Jeju Island, known arsenic nan hub of South Korea’s tourism recovery, is making strategical moves to cater to Chinese travelers. Jeju Dream Tower, operated by Lotte Tour Development, is offering a 10% discount for Chinese visitors who salary utilizing Alipay aliases WeChat Pay. In summation to these discounts, nan edifice provides exclusive perks, including eating and shopping benefits, tailored specifically for Chinese guests. The hotel’s guidance reports that astir 70% of its guests are foreigners, pinch Chinese nationals accounting for astir 80% of this group, particularly arsenic nan Golden Week approaches.

Jeju Shinhwa World has besides responded to nan increasing request by offering free taxable parkland introduction done 2025 for Chinese circuit groups. This package includes accommodations and a scope of leisure activities designed to entreaty to group travelers.

On nan mainland, INSPIRE Entertainment Resort has developed a caller WeChat Mini Program aimed astatine attracting Chinese visitors. The level allows users to book rooms, salary utilizing WeChat Pay, entree exclusive member-only deals, and get updates connected events, including concerts astatine INSPIRE Arena. Grand Korea Leisure, which operates nan Seven Luck casinos successful Seoul and Busan, has mixed its 20th-anniversary celebrations pinch tourism promotions to tie much Chinese visitors. Paradise Co., nan usability of Paradise City successful Incheon, besides stands to use from nan influx of Chinese tourists, moreover without launching caller promotional campaigns.

South Korea’s apical duty-free retailers, including Lotte, Shilla, and Shinsegae, are adjusting their trading strategies to target returning Chinese groups. They are curating merchandise lines that cater to Chinese user preferences and offering typical discounts done Alipay and WeChat Pay. Between precocious September and mid-October, these discounts scope from RMB30 to RMB40, encouraging Chinese travelers to shop during their stay.

Lotte Duty Free has strengthened its relationships pinch Chinese recreation agencies by sending teams to Guangzhou and Qingdao. Shilla Duty Free is focusing connected attracting ample normal and accumulation groups from China, while Shinsegae Duty Free is shifting its attraction toward smaller, high-spending circuit groups, moving distant from nan accepted mass-tourist model. This alteration reflects a broader inclination successful tourism, pinch a displacement distant from large-scale, group-based tourism to much personalized and higher-end experiences.

The timing of nan visa exemption aligns pinch China’s extended Golden Week holiday, which runs from October 1 to October 8, acknowledgment to nan Mid-Autumn Festival connected October 6. This play is 1 of nan busiest recreation times successful China, and Chinese circuit operators are already launching typical packages to return advantage of nan visa-free entry. These packages see taste experiences specified arsenic accepted hanbok walks astatine Gyeongbokgung Palace and scenic tours successful Gangwon Province. Airlines and circuit operators are expanding group itineraries that harvester visits to Seoul and Jeju, catering to request for speedy taste and leisure getaways.

Several hotels, including Shilla Stay and Lotte City, are offering group-rate packages pinch added perks for Golden Week. The integer costs options disposable done Alipay and WeChat Pay are different tie for Chinese tourists, offering convenience during their stay. However, while analysts foretell a surge successful arrivals, airlines person expressed concerns astir nan precocious operating costs associated pinch nan Golden Week period, which whitethorn limit profitability.

The preamble of nan visa waiver comes astatine a important infinitesimal arsenic South Korea prepares to big nan Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) acme successful Gyeongju astatine nan extremity of October. Government officials expect that nan visa exemption will not only boost tourism numbers but besides solidify China’s position arsenic South Korea’s largest root of inbound visitors.

Despite nan optimism surrounding nan visa-free policy, immoderate experts be aware that nan accelerated summation successful visitors whitethorn beryllium tempered by rising accommodation prices and changes successful Chinese tourists’ recreation habits since nan pandemic. Duty-free manufacture insiders person noted that while ample circuit groups stay captious for sales, Chinese visitors are progressively prioritizing manner and taste experiences complete wide shopping sprees. This displacement could effect nan types of products and services that are successful request during their visits.

South Korea’s Jeju Island is starring nan complaint successful attracting Chinese visitors by offering exclusive discounts, typical offers, and tailored experiences, each designed to make nan astir of nan caller visa-free introduction programme for Chinese group travelers. These efforts, including discounts via Alipay and WeChat Pay, are strategically aimed astatine gathering Chinese tourists’ preferences, positioning Jeju arsenic nan apical destination successful South Korea for this market.

Overall, South Korea’s tourism and casino sectors are gearing up for a important betterment arsenic they hole to invited a caller activity of Chinese visitors. With nan preamble of nan visa-free introduction policy, nan state is positioning itself to capitalize connected nan increasing desire for taste experiences and leisure recreation among Chinese tourists, while besides adjusting to caller trends successful spending and recreation behavior.