South Korea has relaxed its visa requirements for Chinese travelers, which should boost short-haul visits. However, experts caution that increased competition from Southeast Asia and high airfares due to geopolitical conflict may limit the immediate economic impact.

Repeat short-haul visits by Chinese travellers to South Korea are expected to rise after Seoul eased multiple-entry visa rules, but analysts say the immediate impact may be limited because of growing competition from Southeast Asia and higher airfares linked to the US-Israeli war in Iran. The South Korean embassy in Beijing announced that Chinese nationals who had previously visited South Korea would now be eligible for a five-year multiple-entry visa. Those holding residency status in 14 major....