In an attempt to avoid damage to Seoul’s image as a qualitative tourist destination, the South Korean capital’s metropolitan government is stepping up and taking action against the so-called “dumping tours”. The practice offers low-cost tourist tours but tries to trick travellers into purchasing overpriced products such as cosmetics or duty-free items.
In order to get a better image of the practice, the government commissioned an in-depth survey on Seoul travel packages offered in the Chinese market, which represent the biggest part of the dumping tours. The survey took a look at 3,097 Seoul tourism packages which were sold on four online platforms in China and was especially detailed when it came to analysing the 100 cheapest ones.
According to the metropolitan government, no less than 85 tourism packages were suspected to promote dumping tours. A few criteria were taken into account in order for them to be qualified as such: the tours either included shopping locations in their itineraries or their cost was lower than the combined price of airfare and accommodation. 45 out of the 85 proved to indeed qualify as dumping tours.
According to Seoul’s government, the practice has lead to several tourists complaining about the price of essentials at the shopping locations included in the packages. Moreover, dumping tours are often guided by unqualified personnel or people who are compensated through shopping-related incentives instead of wages.
The city government now plans on making comprehensive efforts in managing the quality of tourism in Seoul. With over 11 million visitors to South Korea in 2023, a 245% increase compared to the previous year, the capital wants to make sure the tourist boom goes well. To do so, they are implementing strict preemptive measures and responses against various unfair practices.
First of all, the city will contact the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. Not only does Seoul hope that he embassy will prevent travel agencies from offering such tours, the government is even urging sanctions against unfair tourism industry practices under Chinese laws.
Seoul will also use the ombudsman system to report centres for illegal tourism. The system will play a role in mediation, arbitration, pre-monitoring and investigations. Moreover, tourist guides in particular will be closely monitored at popular tourist destinations and Seoul wants to ban tourist agencies from selling tours through social media that don’t include a domestic travel agency or a tourism interpreter.
