Travel Agencies Restart Package Tours to China

Korean travel agencies are eagerly resuming lucrative package tours to China after the world's most populous country started issuing visas for foreign tourists again last week.

Although Korean tourists still have to submit negative COVID tests taken within 48 hours before departure, travel agents expect all regulations will be dropped by the end of this month.

Hana Tour has already started selling package tours to Shanghai, Zhangjiajie and other cities.

Budget agency Very Good Tour also started selling more than two dozen package tours to China. Tours to Zhangjiajie offered by Yellow Ballon Tour are already sold out for next month.

More tours will become available in the coming months.

Before COVID, China was the second most popular overseas destination for Korean travelers after Japan, accounting for 15.1 percent of total outbound tourists thanks to its low prices and short travel times.