Korean tourists opting for short breaks in China

Short breaks in China are becoming increasingly popular among South Korean travelers, with many enjoying experiencing cultural attractions.

For Seo Seo-ro, a 35-year-old tourist from South Korea, he was glad he chose China, especially the Changbai Mountain Scenic Area in Jilin province, as the first overseas destination to travel to with his parents.

"I've always wished to take my parents on a trip abroad," said the traveler from Busan.

"Recently, the travel agency suggested to me that we could spend the weekend in China, which is currently very popular among Korean tourists."

It took them about two hours to fly to Yanji, capital of the Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture in Jilin. Located in the eastern part of Jilin, the prefecture is rich in elements of the Korean ethnic group and receives the most foreign tourists in the province.

Tourists can easily identify distinct ethnic elements in architecture, clothing and performances.

Since China implemented a transit visa-free policy for the Republic of Korea in November, Yanbian has quickly become a popular choice for Korean tourists to spend their weekends.

Data from the local government shows that during this year's Spring Festival holiday, the number of inbound and outbound foreign tourists at Yanji Chaoyangchuan Airport reached 13,000, a year-on-year increase of 14.7 percent.

Among the inbound foreign tourists, Korean tourists accounted for 88.1 percent.

During Seo's four-day trip, they first visited Tumen and enjoyed the hot springs in the city.

"At the Changbai Mountain Scenic Area, we took a snowmobile to get to the top of the main peak," he said. "We were so lucky to see the mysterious Tianchi Lake, which was surrounded by snow, providing us a white and pure wonderland."

Changbai Mountain remains frozen for most of the year, and has long been a major tourist destination in all seasons.

The lake is located at the top of the volcanic cone of the main peak of Changbai Mountain with a surface elevation of 2,189 meters. They also tasted various local cuisines including mutton kebab and visited scenic spots popular on social media platforms to take photos.

According to Zheng Xuefeng, a tour guide with 15 years of experience leading groups of South Korean tourists, in the past they had to apply for a visa at least 10 days in advance to visit China, but now with the transit visa-free policy, the procedure has been shortened to only one day.

"Recently, South Korean tourists usually come to China on Friday and return to South Korea on Sunday," he said. "Therefore, weekends have become the busiest time for us."

As a result of the boom of tourism in Yanbian, he said, the variety of tourism products has increased, catering to various needs.

"Because most local residents in Yanbian can speak Korean, there are no language barriers, making communication very convenient," he said.

Last year, the total revenue for travel agencies in the prefecture reached 280 million yuan ($40 million), a year-on-year increase of 64 percent. The growth has prompted local travel agencies, including Yanbian Chuntian International Travel Agency, the largest travel agency in the prefecture, to expand.

"We have a total of 74 tour guides, including 54 Korean-speaking guides specialized in serving Korean tourists," said Cui Guolu, the agency's deputy general manager.

During this winter season, he said, the agency received a total of 2,500 tourists from South Korea, which is a 50-percent increase compared to the previous winter.

"Due to the current popularity of Korean business, we have decided to expand by recruiting another 30 tour guides this year," he said. "We also have a plan to launch customized tour products based on customers' demand."

According to local government, the prefecture will actively develop the inbound tourism markets of the Republic of Korea and Russia. They will increase investment in cultural and tourism sectors, create new cultural and tourism landmarks such as Yanbian Tower and Bohai Ancient Town, and develop new activities such as gourmet tours, leisure sports events, camping and picnicking.

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn