Duty-free shops in Jeju welcome return of Chinese cruise tourism

For the first time since Beijing lifted restrictions on group tourism to South Korea, Chinese cruise tourists have flocked to Jeju Island's duty-free stores and attractions.

The Blue Dream Star, a 24,782-ton vessel with 668 tourists on board, arrived at Jeju Port on Aug. 31, marking the end of a 6 years and 5 months gap in cruise tourism from China due to tensions over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

The ship remained anchored in Jeju for about eight hours, allowing passengers to explore notable attractions such as Yongduam Rock, Halla Arboretum Night Market, Woljeongri Beach, Seongeup Folk Village, and Seongsan Sunrise Peak.

About 350 tourists spent more than an hour shopping at Shilla Duty Free and Lotte Duty Free shops on the island, according to industry officials.

"We have high expectations as up to 20,000 Chinese cruise customers are scheduled to visit Jeju by the end of the year," said Lee Seong-Chul, the manager of Lotte Duty Free Shop in Jeju.

According to the Jeju Tourism Organization, as many as 47 cruise ships carrying Chinese group tourists are expected to dock in Jeju this year. For 2024, over 334 cruise ships, including 264 originating from China, are projected to make port calls on the island.

In preparation for the anticipated uptick in Chinese visitors, both Shilla Duty Free and Lotte Duty Free are ramping up various marketing initiatives.

Shilla Duty Free is currently running promotions tailored to Chinese customers, offering instant discounts through Alipay and UnionPay, as well as preferential exchange rates via WeChat.

Lotte Duty Free is taking swift actions to prepare welcoming arrangements, such as stocking up on products favored by Chinese tourists and reviewing amenities like group bus parking lots.

Write to Hun-Hyoung Ha at hhh@hankyung.com