South Korea began offering visa-free entry for Chinese tourist groups on Monday, a measure it hopes will boost the economy and help improve ties with its Asian neighbour.
As part of the pilot programme due to run through until next June, groups of three or more tourists from mainland China will be able to stay without a visa for 15 days.
The action comes ahead of China's National Day holidays from October 1-8, as well as a run of South Korean holidays around the same time.
South Korean companies are seeking to benefit from the increased demand.
Shilla Duty Free has organised a Chinese cruise tour with more than 2,700 passengers, and the food delivery app Baedal Minjok is introducing payment options through Alipay and WeChat Pay.
The programme, announced in March, follows China's decision last November to offer visa exemptions to South Koreans for up to 30 days.
The 77,000-tonne MS Dream, which departed Tianjin on Saturday, docked in Incheon, located 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) west of Seoul, early on Monday with 2,189 passengers and 563 crew on board.
The ship will return to China after a one-day stop, wrapping up a five-day journey.
Up to 15 days
The new administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is hoping to further improve ties with China during an expected visit by President Xi Jinping in late October to an Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea.
The most recent visa waiver began on September 29, 2025, as a temporary measure for Chinese tourist groups, running through June 2026 to boost tourism ahead of an Asia-Pacific summit and holidays.
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 disembarked the cruise ship, with local residents gathered to greet them.
The Incheon Port Authority set up food trucks offering Korean dishes, while the city government planned a welcoming event in the downtown plaza.
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 revitalising maritime tourism between South Korea and China," said Lee Kyung-gyu, president of the Incheon Port Authority.
"We will do our best to expand cruise routes and help revive the local economy."
