According to the Korean National Tourism Organization, 160-thousand Chinese tourists visited South Korea over Christmas and the New Year, a 12 percent increase from the previous year.

韩国国家旅游局统计，圣诞节以及元旦期间到韩国游玩的中国游客达到16万，同比增长12%。

70 percent of Chinese tourists went there for shopping, with each spending an average of 2200 U.S dollar, doubling the average amount spent by other overseas tourists.

"I want to bring some gifts back. Products here are distinctive,"

"It feels good to be shopping here this time. The discounts were as much as 70 percent off, it's a good bargain,"

This manager at a South Korean department store says Chinese tourists plays an important role in his store's business.

"Chinese customers spent an average of 500,000 won per person here in 2015. There were more Chinese tourists at the year end. It's estimated that the sales might have increased by over 10 percent,"

Chinese visitors contributed 22 billion U.S. dollars to the country's service sector in 2015, 1.6 percent of the country's GDP.