As it became known that South Gyeongsang Province will support accommodation costs for Chinese group tourists entering without a visa, protests demanding the discontinuation of this support were continuously posted on the provincial government's homepage.
According to South Gyeongsang Province on the 18th, nearly 40 postings opposing accommodation cost support for Chinese tourists were made on the provincial government homepage between the 14th and the 17th. Most expressed the sentiment, 'Why should we use tax money to support accommodation for Chinese nationals?'
The controversy began with a press release issued by South Gyeongsang Province on the 12th. It stated that the government would allow temporary visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists starting September 29, and the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation had begun selling tourism products aimed at Chinese tourists, which included the provision of '50,000 won support per tourist for accommodation.'
South Gyeongsang Province clarified, 'It is not support only for Chinese nationals.' The province explained that since the enactment of the 'Gyeongsangnam-do Tourism Promotion local government ordinance' in 2009, it has provided accommodation incentives to travel agencies that attract both domestic and foreign group tourists since 2010. This system aims to revitalize local accommodation businesses, and other cities and provinces operate similarly.
In fact, between January and May of this year, accommodation incentives were similarly provided to foreign group tourists visiting South Gyeongsang Province, including those from Taiwan (758), the United States (434), Japan (91), and Singapore (29). South Gyeongsang Province emphasized, 'We do not give accommodation costs directly to tourists but support the local accommodation industry through travel agencies.'
Previously, the government decided to allow visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists from September 29 to June 30 of next year at a meeting of the 'Tourism Activation Mini Policy Task Force,' chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, on the 6th.