SHANGHAI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) — At bustling hotpot chain eating places Haidilao in China’s Shanghai Municipality, teams of vacationers from the Republic of Korea (ROK) might not too long ago be discovered excitedly discussing their plans for the weekend whereas dipping slices of beef into pots.
“I’ve seen a lot about Shanghai on social media from celebrities and influencers recently. It was so interesting to see customers and employees dancing together at the Haidilao hotpot restaurant,” mentioned Choi Ji-yoon from the ROK. “It is only a two-hour flight for me to visit Shanghai, so why not come?”
Over 100 flights to Shanghai depart from Seoul and Tokyo every weekend, bringing an inflow of vacationers searching for visa-free getaways within the Chinese metropolis to discover its meals, points of interest and tradition.
After China prolonged its visa-free entry coverage in November 2024, abnormal passport holders from 38 nations, together with the ROK and Japan, can enter China for enterprise, tourism, household go to, alternate or transit functions for a most of 30 days with out making use of for a visa at the moment.
From November to across the finish of December final 12 months, 363,000 vacationers from the ROK and Japan arrived in or departed from two worldwide airports in Shanghai, in keeping with the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection. The determine was a rise of greater than 20 p.c from the whole of September and October.
Riding the “China Travel” wave, which has gained large traction since final 12 months, many scenic areas in Shanghai have gone viral on world social media platforms.
Many vacationers like Choi are desperate to verify off objects on their to-do lists: Walking alongside Nanjing Road in downtown Shanghai to expertise its mix of custom and modernity, exploring consultant Chinese artifacts similar to bronze, pottery and jade items within the Shanghai Museum, sipping tea or espresso within the landmark Xintiandi leisure space, or strolling across the Bund to seize photos of the well-known Shanghai skyline at evening.
Just 5 hours after arriving in Shanghai, Korean vacationer Lee Won-jun linked his bank card to the Alipay app and began navigating town utilizing Didi Chuxing, a well-liked ride-hailing service in China.
“These Chinese apps are convenient and I have learned their functions. I can not wait to explore the city’s charm,” Lee mentioned.
As a hub and gateway of opening-up, Shanghai has additionally seen its providers sector present tailor-made providers for worldwide vacationers. With rising numbers of vacationers arriving from the ROK, many Haidilao eating places in Shanghai have organized for his or her waitstaff to be taught fundamental Korean phrases.
“During the weekends, we receive about 1,400 customers, nearly a third of whom are from the ROK,” mentioned Hu Xiaozheng, the supervisor of a Haidilao restaurant within the municipality’s downtown space.
“We provide our guests from the ROK with scissors, which they use to cut food, as well as ice cubes and spoons, to enhance their dining experience,” Hu mentioned.
The visa-free journey coverage can be favorable for long-term residents in China. Haruna Inoue, a Japanese scholar, mentioned that her mom spent a weekend together with her recently in Shanghai, and that she plans to ask extra of her Japanese pals to go to China.
“My mom said Shanghai is so convenient and considerate for foreigners, and she would love to visit it again,” Inoue mentioned.
Cai Hong, professor on the enterprise administration faculty on the Capital University of Economics and Business, famous that China’s visa-free journey coverage has a powerful correlation with the surge in vacationers from the ROK and Japan, because the three nations are neighbors geographically and share comparable cultures.
With extra flights and enhancements in infrastructure and providers, China-Japan-ROK weekend tourism is changing into a brand new pattern, Cai mentioned.