Cruise ship brings 2,700 Chinese tourists to Incheon as S. Korea begins visa-free entry
The port of Incheon on Monday welcomed more than 2,700 passengers and crew from a Chinese cruise ship as South Korea launched a temporary visa-free scheme to revive its tourism sector, Yonhap reports.
The 77,000-ton "MS Dream," operated by Tianjin Orient International Cruise Line, departed Tianjin on Saturday and docked in Incheon, 30 kilometers west of Seoul, early Monday with 2,189 passengers and 563 crew on board. The vessel will return to China after a one-day stop, completing a five-day voyage.
Seoul announced earlier this month that it would waive visa requirements for Chinese group tourists for a nine-month period, from Sept. 29 to June 30, as part of broader efforts to lure more foreign visitors. Groups of three or more Chinese nationals may now enter South Korea without visas for stays of up to 15 days.
Passengers waved and took photos as they stepped off the cruise ship in Incheon, where local residents gathered to greet them. Tour operators guided dozens of buses lined up to ferry the visitors into the city.
"The ship was packed maybe because the no-visa policy has just begun and the cruise line is celebrating its second anniversary," said Zhewei, 67, who travelled with seven former schoolmates. "I've visited Korea five or six times, but this is my first time coming by cruise, so I'm excited."
Xu Dawei, 38, travelling with his wife and young daughter, said he booked the trip after seeing an advertisement tied to the visa waiver. "This is my first time in Korea, and I hope we can make some good memories," he said.
The Chinese operator launched the Incheon itinerary after Seoul announced the temporary visa waiver program earlier this month.
Tianjin Orient is the first Chinese cruise company to call at Incheon this year. Of the 30 international cruises scheduled to stop there this year, only four, including the MS Dream, list a Chinese city as their last port of departure.
To mark the occasion, the Incheon Port Authority set up food trucks offering Korean dishes, while the city government planned a welcoming event in the downtown plaza. Passengers were scheduled to tour major Seoul attractions before reembarking.
The shipping and tourism sectors expect the visa waiver to lift demand not only for cruises but also for international car ferries linking China and South Korea.
"The MS Dream's arrival will serve as a catalyst for revitalizing maritime tourism between South Korea and China," Lee Kyung-gyu, president of the Incheon Port Authority, said. "We will do our best to expand cruise routes and help revive the local economy."
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