Shall we go on a trip to China?Travel industry 'nice to see' news of visa-free

[Anchor]
From today (8th) to the end of next year, Korean citizens can travel to China without a visa.The travel industry, which had been struggling with bad news such as

{Timev}, started to seize the opportunity by launching travel products aimed at young people.

I'm reporter Hwang Bo Hye-kyung.

[Reporter]
Travelers who are about to travel to China gather in groups at Incheon International Airport.

Travel to China, which requires a visa, is mainly a group tour by middle-aged people.

[Lim Sookja / Haan-dong, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do: I'm going to go to China and I heard Taehang Mountain is so good, so I'm going for 4 nights and 5 days with my friends]

Visa-free entry, which the Chinese government recently allowed for nine countries, including Korea, will take effect today.

If you visit China for business or travel reasons, you can stay in China for up to 15 days without a visa until next year.

With the post-COVID-19 recovery slower than other regions such as Japan and Southeast Asia, the move is expected to restore demand for travel to China.

In fact, the reservation rate for domestic travel agencies to China increased 65% from a week ago shortly after the visa waiver was announced.

[Park Jung-nam / Cheonwang-dong, Seoul: I haven't traveled in the meantime, and since it's visa-free, my family is going to get together and go together.]

Travel agencies are scrambling to offer travel packages to China.

[Lee Yoon-woo / Travel agency official: We expect to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels within the first quarter of next year due to the announcement of visa exemption. We plan to expand package products and introduce free travel products aimed at the 2040s and 40s.]

The travel industry suffered from poor performance even during the peak summer season in the aftermath of the 'Timef' incident.

With the good news of visa-free entry, we have a special command to attract the demand of young people who are indifferent to travel to China.

I'm YTN Hwang Bo Hye-kyung.



Filmmaker: Kim Jung-won

Design: Lee Na-young