Chinese Tourists Present Dilemma for Casinos in Korea

Chinese tourists present dilemma for casinos in Korea

Korea's casino industry has been thriving in recent years, fueled by a steady rebound in inbound tourism, as the country's 17 foreigner-only casinos benefit from a growing number of visitors from Asia. This has prompted securities firms to issue bullish outlooks on the sector, as they expect more Chinese visitors in particular, given Korea's visa waiver program for Chinese group tourists. Yet, their visits to casinos here are a thorny issue in t…

South Korea’s North Jeolla Province Divided Over Governor’s Casino Plans

South Korean community and business leaders in North Jeolla Province have clashed over proposals to build an integrated resort featuring a casino.The plan is the brainchild of North Jeolla Governor Lee Won-taek, who was elected in June. Lee wants to ask the central government to allow the casino to admit domestic passport-holders.Currently, only one casino – the state-owned High1 Resort in Gangwon Province – is allowed to admit South Korean pass…