South Korea Prepares High-End, Digital Welcome as 190,000 Chinese Tourists Arrive for Lunar New Year
Creatrip Team
6 months ago
South Korea expects up to 190,000 Chinese visitors during the nine-day Lunar New Year (Chunseol) holiday and is scrambling to upgrade reception with digital conveniences and premium services. The government and Korea Tourism Organization are partnering with major Chinese platforms (e.g., JD/Jingdong, Ctrip) to promote an “All Korea Pass” offering shopping and transport discounts, expand mobile payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay) for cashless travel, and push regional packages like Gangwon’s “winter snow” tours to disperse visitors. On-the-ground hospitality is being tailored for families and younger MZ travelers with welcome zones, photo experiences, and themed giveaways (e.g., year-of-the-horse keyrings). The casino and resort sector is seeing a boom—operators report near-full bookings and strong profits, with some firms paying large dividends—driven by demand for high-end, stay-oriented tourism. Officials say the shift toward longer, lifestyle-focused visits highlights K-beauty, cuisine, and cultural content, and they will continue cross-government efforts to ensure smooth, high-quality experiences.
