Cruise Lines, Travel Agencies Drop Trips From China to S. Korea Over Missile Defense Issue

The once-cordial ties between South Korea and its biggest trading partner have soured due to the perception that China has targeted businesses, sports teams and culture to protest deployment of an advanced U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea.

tough on tourism

Effective March 15, China told South Korean travel agencies not to sell group tour packages to South Korea.

Instead, Chinese must seek visas individually.

Both Italy’s Costa and Royal Caribbean Cruises have cancelled port calls in South Korea by their cruises originating in China.

[From Skift: Ctrip declined to comment on whether it had eliminated packages and other travel from China to South Korea.]

One place likely to be hit hardest is the southern resort island of Jeju, where mom-and-pop shops and travel agencies rely on Chinese tourists. An official with Jeju’s immigration office, who declined to be named, said that as of Thursday no cruises from China were calling at the semi-tropical island.

South Korean airliners are cutting flights to and from China as reservations drop.

Christopher Bodeen reported from Beijing.

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