CBN Special丨Shanghai swept by “Korean wave”: Cross-border getaways at doorstep thanks to visa-free

Hello! Welcome to this edition of CBN Friday Special. I’m Stephanie Li.

Lately, if you go on a citywalk in Shanghai, you're bound to run into Korean tourists.

Shanghai, China’s top-tier megacity, has recently become one of the most popular destinations for South Korean sightseers.

From groups of young women posing in front of Cinderella's castle at Shanghai Disneyland to families visiting the festive markets, South Koreans are taking advantage of China's visa-free policy that became effective on November 8, 2024.

The latest Shanghai "Korean Wave" index released by online travel agency Tongcheng Travel indicates that since mid - December 2024, the number of Korean tourists arriving in Shanghai has been on a sharp rise.

By early January 2025, the number of tourists coming to Shanghai from Busan, South Korea, had increased by over 115.8% year-on-year. And Huangpu District has become the epicenter for Korean tourists in Shanghai.

“Travel to China after work”

"Travel to China after work on Friday" has reportedly become a popular key phrase and trending hashtag on South Korean social media platforms. The younger South Korean generation's travel choices are increasingly focused on short trips, such as two nights and three days. Cities in Eastern China that are closer to South Korea, such as Shanghai, Qingdao, and Dalian, naturally become the preferred weekend destinations for South Korean tourists.

These are ideal of what are known as “night owl travel destinations,” where Korean travelers can enjoy a trip to China after finishing work on Friday evening and return on Sunday or Monday.

Providing local guided tours is one of the services that are in high demand. The price per day of a Korean-speaking guide for custom tours is generally between 600 (USD82) and 2,000 yuan. If the tourist also needs a car, the price can increase on this basis by 1000-2000 yuan more.

Chinese netizens have noticed some distinct ways to spot Korean tourists. The guys often sport long overcoats paired with trendy curtain-bangs hairstyles. As for the girls, they're all about that meticulous makeup, and short skirts teamed with woolen overcoats are their top picks.

A significant number of visitors admire Shanghai for its unique fusion of traditional Chinese heritage and European-inspired elegance. Young South Koreans are finding creative ways to experience Shanghai, such as dressing in traditional Chinese Hanfu outfits for unique photo sessions at studios in Yuyuan Garden. And newlywed couples are shooting wedding photos outside the iconic Wukang Mansion.

But what's really got netizens talking is the spending power of Korean tourists. Stories like "Spending 460,000 yuan on a single meal," "Taking a taxi straight from Pudong Airport to the city center and then all the way to Disneyland from The Bund," and "Treating fruits as the main course at buffets" are doing the rounds.

So, what makes Shanghai so appealing to Korean tourists? Besides the visa-free convenience and diverse entertainment options, the most astonishing answer may be the “affordability of Shanghai.” 

Yes, you heard me alright. Shanghai, as one of China's leading metropolises, has long been regarded by compatriots as one of, if not the most, pricy places in China, often jokingly referred to as having "a currency of its own."

But Korean tourists see it differently. Ctrip's data revealed that many inbound foreign travelers, especially those from Japan and South Korea, prefer to book high-star hotels. And since they spend less on transportation compared to long haul travelers from Europe and America, they’re more willing to spurge on fine dining, luxury hotels, and entertainment. 

When it comes to high-end spending, Shanghai certainly has a lot to offer. Take the Shanghai Bulgari Hotel as an example. It costs USD700 per night, versus USD1,200 for a night at the Tokyo Bulgari Hotel around the same time.

This is just a tip of the iceberg. As more and more foreigners travel to China, they soon realized that enjoying an abundance of fresh fruits and meat is just one of the many understated perks of a trip to China.

On Gmarket, South Korea's largest online shopping platform, 10 kg of rice costs about 140 yuan, 1 kg of strawberries around 140 yuan, a 1.2-kg beef gift box is approximately 1,000 yuan. While in Shanghai, fruits, vegetables and meat are 4 to 5 times cheaper, and even more so for beef.

In fact, the number of overseas tourists coming to Shanghai is still on the rise. During the Spring Festival, the number of inbound travel bookings from South Korea surged by 452% year-on-year. Shanghai is clearly becoming an even more popular destination for Korean tourists, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Beyond the Korean Wave

This wave of South Korean tourists is not an isolated phenomenon. China's ongoing expansion of visa-free policies have been bringing an influx of international visitors across the country, reshaping global travel trends in recent years.

The number of inbound trips made by foreigners to China under the country's visa-free policies in 2024 doubled compared with the previous year.

Border inspection agencies across China handled 64.88 million cross-border trips by foreigners in 2024, up 82.9% from a year earlier. Among them, more than 20 million inbound trips by foreigners were made visa-free, a year-on-year increase of 112.3%, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA).

Since July 2023, China has been actively optimizing its visa-free policies to create an open and welcoming environment for travelers. By the end of 2024, China has established comprehensive mutual visa exemptions with 25 countries, implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 38 countries, and transit visa-free policies for 54 countries, including Britain, the United States and Canada.

The most recent updates to the country's visa-free transit policy that extended the permitted stay from the initial 3 days to 10 days, is expected to broaden the scope for foreign travelers to explore China's diverse culture, history, and economic development.

China's expanding visa-free network is part of its broader commitment to "high-level opening-up," a strategy emphasized at the Central Economic Work Conference in late December.

With the market effects of the visa-free policy continuing to be unleashed, as well as the further implementation of measures such as easy payments for foreigners in China, inbound travel in 2025 is expected to maintain a positive growth trend.

The stamp in each passport is not just a permit, but an invitation - an invitation for more people to experience the diverse aspects of China in person.

Executive Editor: Sonia YU

Editor: LI Yanxia

Host: Stephanie LI

Writer: Stephanie LI

Sound Editor: Stephanie LI

Graphic Designer: ZHENG Wenjing, LIAO Yuanni

Produced by 21st Century Business Herald Dept. of Overseas News.

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