Tourism authorities project that Jeju will host almost 650,000 cruise ship visitors this year. Critics, however, say they don’t stay long enough on the island, and that the time they do spend here is used mainly for duty-free shopping. They argue that means they aren’t having much of an impact on the local economy. Joseph Kim reports.
[slug]
International Cruise Terminal at Jeju Harbor

The Costa Serena cruise ship which departed from Shanghai has made port at the Jeju Harbor.

More than 3000 Chinese tourists are getting on chartered buses right after disembarking to go sightseeing around the island.

They will only be staying for four hours. Most of their schedule is set for shopping in duty free shops or shops exclusively for foreign tourists.

The Chinese guests were expecting to enjoy Jeju’s picturesque scenery which they had seen in Korean movies and dramas. The shopping focused schedule is less than satisfactory.

[INTERVIEW]
Li Yawen / Shanghai, China
I want to go fishing or something. Is there a beach near here? It would be great to play on the beach with my kids and sunbathe.
<인터뷰:리야웬 중국 상해>
"낚시 같은게 있으면 체험해보고 싶고 근처에 해변가가 있나요? 있다면 아이들과 해변에서 놀고 썬텐도 하면 좋을 것 같아요."

[camera]
Han Kyoung-yeop

Then, what about Japan?

The tour itinerary of Japan’s port of call, Fukuoka is similar to that of Jeju but Fukuoka includes a tourism attraction where visitors can experience various activities.

The length of stay in Fukuoka is about eight hours, more than double that of Jeju.

[INTERVIEW]
Wang Yuni / Shanghai, China
We can see mountain goats and horses here. I think it’s a good opportunity for our kids to get a feel for nature, so I prefer Fukuoka to Jeju.
<인터뷰:왕위니 중국 상해>
"산양이나 말 그런 것들이 아이들한테 자연환경을 더 직접적으로 느낄수 있게 하는 것 같습니다. 그래서 여기 느낌이 제주도보다 더 좋습니다."

Analysts point out that, as Jeju has no special tour packages for cruise tourists except duty free shopping, it is a less attractive destination than Fukuoka.

For Chinese travelers, Jeju is more popular as a shopping destination than a tourism hotspot. Local tourism businesses have had no choice but to make a tour schedule mostly centered around shopping.

[INTERVIEW]
Wang Younong / Dir., Shanghai Wusongkou Intl. Cruise Terminal
Chinese tourists’ main purpose in visiting Jeju is the shopping. We need close cooperation between here and Jeju to meet their needs. <인터뷰:왕 요우농 상해 오송구 국제크루즈터미널발전유한공사 대표>
"중국 관광객들이 제주도를 방문하는 주요 목적은 쇼핑입니다.
쇼핑에 대한 만족도 높이기 위해 우리 모항과 제주도 간에 긴밀한 협력이 필요합니다."

[reporter]
Joseph Kim

Chinese tour businesses estimate that in three or four years, tour packages to Jeju for cruise travelers will be operated focused on shopping.

To earn the reputation as Asia’s best port of call, local tourism authorities should focus on establishing tour programs and developing sufficient commercial infrastructure so that economic gains through cruise tourism benefits the entire island.

Joseph Kim KCTV