China OB Daily: Russia, U.S. graduation season, South Korea

Editor’s note: Last week we started a new daily roundup of news affecting outbound business, for countries trying to attract Chinese travelers. Follow all news from ChinaOB Daily.

• Chinese traveler top visitors to Russia: Russia attracted 248,100 tourists during the first four months of 2013…most numerous visitors were: the Chinese, with 30,500 visitors; the Germans, with 23,800; the Turks, with 23,700; the Israelis, with 14,200; and the French, with 12,600.
• U.S. graduation season boon for local economies: With commencement season here, many Chinese parents have booked travel to the US to watch their daughters and sons make their academic transitions…Unlike travelers who go with travel agencies, these Chinese parents are able to take their time, enjoy special arrangements and get a better feel for local culture.
• South Korea sees big drop in Japanese visitors, but Chinese make up: The decline in Japanese tourists has seen an increase in those from China, with a 71% increase in arrivals from China for the first three months of the year, compared to the same period last year. Some agencies that used to cater to Japanese tourists are now scrambling to learn Chinese and shift their specialization.