China’s visa-free waivers spark Korean journey increase, underpin tourism revival

For Choi Yu-jin, a 31-year-old Seoul-based dressmaker, the proper getaway requires three components: worth, spotless streetscapes and unforgettable flavours. And Shanghai, she says, delivers on all counts.

Three visits since 2024, with a fourth deliberate for April, are testomony to a metropolis that’s more and more capturing the creativeness – and wallets – of South Korean travellers, buoyed by visa-free entry and a burgeoning fame for cosmopolitan attraction.

“Restaurants and streets were notably clean. And even upscale dining came at lower prices than in Korea, without compromising on taste,” Choi stated.

The variety of South Korean guests to Shanghai rose from round 570,000 in 2023 to 1.1 million in 2024, earlier than climbing in 2025 by an additional 23.6 per cent, yr on yr, in accordance with information from the nation’s aviation data portal.

Short flight instances, together with inexpensive meals and points of interest, helped draw a complete of 1.37 million South Korean guests to town final yr – roughly 43 per cent of all South Korean visits to mainland China, up from 35 per cent in 2024, information confirmed.