In its latest move to attract tourists from China, the South Korean government has just announced a further ease of visa requirement for Chinese visitors. Alan Lam reports.
Cruise passengers arriving at South Korean ports on the Bohai Ferry cruise vessel, Zhong Hua Tai Shan (formerly Costa Voyager), will be granted visa free visits. Only recently the country extended its visa free policy for Chinese visitors arriving by air to the popular holiday island of Jeju from 72 to 120 hours.
This policy will help ease the passage for Bohai Ferry’s cruise business in the region. Since the maiden voyage on 16 August, the company has so far operated more than a dozen cruises to South Korea.
Realising the competition building up within the cruise business in the region and recognising the importance of the Chinese source market, other countries in the region are making moves in this direction.
Indonesia for example, a country which until recently has a perceivably hostile visa policy toward Chinese visitors, is considering a visa free policy to Chinese tourists. It is also considering a so-called third country visa, whereby once a visitor has gained entry to Singapore and Malaysia will be automatically allowed to enter Indonesia. Cruise operators have welcomed this development.
