Seoul emerged as a favorite overseas destination for Chinese travelers during the National Day Golden Week (Oct. 1-7). Citing booking data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Phoenix (ifeng) reported that the top overseas cities were Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Sydney, with international bookings for the holiday up 22.5% year on year.

Lower barriers explain Korea's appeal. Chinese tour groups of three or more can stay in Korea visa-free for up to 15 days under a scheme valid until the end of 2026, and on Jeju Island both groups and individuals can stay visa-free for up to 30 days. Korea is also closer and cheaper than Europe or the United States.

Traffic growing in both directions

The flow runs both ways. Korean visitors to China rose 29% year on year in July, and Chinese visitors to Korea have also increased sharply. Since China introduced visa-free entry for Koreans, weekend trips to Shanghai and Qingdao have become common.

More Korea-China tourism means more demand for Chinese-language guides and interpreters and for restaurants and lodgings serving Chinese-speaking guests. Young members of the ethnic Chinese community fluent in both Korean and Chinese could see wider job opportunities in tourism and services. Places steeped in the community's history, such as Incheon's Chinatown, remain on Chinese visitors' itineraries.

Japan, meanwhile, did not make the top 10 Chinese destinations during the same period, showing how quickly Northeast Asia's tourism map is shifting with diplomatic relations.