Controversy Over Accommodation Support for Chinese Tourists, Flood of Opposition Comments on Gyeongnam Province Website

As news broke that Gyeongnam Province would provide accommodation support to Chinese group tourists entering without a visa, public backlash from residents intensified.

On the Gyeongnam provincial government website, dozens of comments opposing this policy have been posted.

According to Gyeongnam Province, nearly 40 posts demanding the cessation of accommodation support for Chinese tourists appeared on the provincial government website within just four days from the 14th to the 17th.

Most of the posted comments strongly protested, questioning, "Why use taxpayer money to support accommodation for Chinese tourists?" This controversy began with a press release issued by Gyeongnam Province on the 12th.

"Why use taxpayer money to support accommodation for Chinese tourists?"

Gyeongnam Province announced that it would begin selling stay-type tourism products targeted at Chinese tourists in line with the temporary visa-free entry policy for Chinese group tourists, which will take effect on September 29. The document included information stating that the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation would support accommodation costs of 50,000 won per tourist.

Clarification by Gyeongnam Province and the reality of the accommodation support policy

In response, Gyeongnam Province clarified that it is not offering preferential treatment solely to Chinese tourists.

Gyeongnam Province explained that it established the 'Gyeongnam Province Tourism Promotion Ordinance' in 2009 to provide a basis for supporting tourism businesses that facilitate overnight stays for both domestic and foreign group tourists at local accommodation facilities to invigorate the regional tourism industry.

A Gyeongnam provincial official emphasized, "Since 2010, we have been offering accommodation incentives to travel agencies that attract all foreign group tourists to Gyeongnam, and similar policies are being implemented in other provinces."

In fact, Gyeongnam Province stated that between January and May of this year, it provided the same accommodation incentives to group tourists from various nationalities visiting Gyeongnam, including Taiwan (758 people), the United States (434 people), Japan (91 people), and Singapore (29 people).

Furthermore, Gyeongnam Province reiterated that this funding is not paid directly to foreign tourists but is provided to the local accommodation industry. This is part of their stance on policies to invigorate the regional tourism industry.

Meanwhile, the government held a meeting of the 'Tourism Activation Mini Policy Task Force' chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on the 6th, deciding to temporarily allow visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists from September 29 until June 30 of next year.

Image source: Material photo to aid understanding of the article / News 1, Gyeongnam provincial government website, material photo to aid understanding of the article / gettyimagesbank