(C) KED Global

SEOUL — South Korea’s retail and hospitality sectors are gearing up for a massive wave of Chinese tourists (Youke) ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year (Chunjie) holiday. Driven by escalating Sino-Japanese tensions, Chinese travelers are pivoting from Japan to South Korea, triggering a surge in flight prices and hotel bookings.

The "Reflected Benefit": Shifting Travel Trends
According to market research firm China Trading Desk, an estimated 230,000 to 250,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit South Korea during the holiday period (February 15–23). This marks a 52% increase compared to last year.

The shift is largely attributed to deteriorating diplomatic relations between Beijing and Tokyo. While interest in Korea spikes, Chinese travel to Japan is projected to plummet by 60% year-on-year.

Key Economic Indicators:

Projected Spending: Over $330 million (approx. 471.5 billion KRW).
Flight Surge: Beijing-Seoul round-trip tickets jumped from 341,859 KRW in November to 676,906 KRW by late January (a nearly 100% increase).
Hotel Demand: Grand Hyatt Jeju reports an 80% occupancy rate for February, up significantly from last year’s 50%.
 
Retail Titans Launch "Total War" for Tourist Dollars
Major Korean duty-free stores and department stores are rolling out aggressive promotions to capture the high-spending Chinese demographic.

1. Duty-Free Giants
Lotte Duty Free: Offering free tickets to Lotte World and Lotte Tower for group tourists. Shoppers can receive up to 1.23 million KRW in "LDF Pay" based on purchase amounts.
Shinsegae Duty Free: Partnering with Alipay+ to provide first-come, first-served discount coupons and collaborating with Cathay Pacific for loyalty point boosters.
Hyundai Duty Free: Hosting massive sales at the Trade Center branch, offering up to 80% off on luxury brands favored by Chinese shoppers.

2. Department Stores & Cultural Experiences
The Hyundai Seoul: Hosting traditional Hanbok rental events (Feb 14–15) to appeal to "experience-seeking" younger travelers.
Lotte Department Store: Offering 7% back in gift certificates for international shoppers starting February 13.
 
The "Social Media Group-Buy" Trend
A new travel culture is emerging among younger Chinese generations. Following the relaxation of group visa requirements (now as few as three people), young travelers are using social media to "crowdsource" travel companions to visit Korea.

"Collecting a group via social media to shop for K-beauty and fashion has become a major trend," noted an industry insider. If diplomatic friction between China and Japan persists, Yanolja Research predicts that an additional 900,000 Chinese tourists could visit South Korea beyond original forecasts this year.

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