Local tourism industry officials expect about 126,000 Chinese tourists to visit Korea during China’s weeklong Lunar New Year holiday, which continues through Tuesday. This figure represents a 30 percent increase from the same season last year.

Korea’s tourism sector is becoming increasingly dependent on a growing number of Chinese visitors, who spend more money here than tourists from any other country.

Fueled by the popularity of Korean pop culture and a gradual appreciation of the Chinese currency, the number of Chinese travelers to Korea soared by 46 percent from a year earlier to 6.13 million in 2014. They spent about 10 trillion won ($9 billion) during their stays, according to data from the Korean government.

Chinese visitors accounted for 43 percent of foreign travelers to the country last year, and their spending provided more than half of its tourism revenue.

Korea expects the number of Chinese tourists to reach 7 million this year and exceed the 10 million mark in several years. Given this rising inflow of Chinese travelers, its goal to attract more than 20 million foreign tourists annually by 2020 may seem within reach.

But a recent survey released by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute shows that the country is in no position to remain complacent and should do more to become a more attractive destination for Chinese travelers.

According to the survey of first-time foreign visitors from 16 nations, Chinese tourists ranked 14th in their satisfaction with trips here and intention to revisit the country. It was particularly alarming that Chinese visitors were most likely to have a bad image of Korea after traveling here.

This negative response may not be surprising, given that many Chinese come here on low-priced package tours that tend to offer poor-quality meals and lodging and include an excessive number of shopping stops. Their complaints may also include difficulty with communication and being overcharged by vendors and taxi drivers.

New approaches need to be taken to further boost the inflow of Chinese travelers and induce more of them to revisit the country.

It is necessary to develop a variety of high-value-added programs that enable Chinese visitors to experience the essence of Korea’s culture and competitive entrepreneurship. These programs would not only help increase its tourism revenues but also enhance its image.

Efforts should also be strengthened to draw more Chinese tourists to destinations other than Seoul and the southern resort island of Jejudo. Creating more differentiated products tailored to the characteristics of each region would be helpful. Accommodation facilities in regional locations should be expanded and upgraded. Diversifying tourism attractions might help induce more Chinese tourists to revisit the country and bring more benefits to regional economies.

It is also necessary to expand the scope of Chinese visitors eligible for multiple-entry visas ― which are currently limited to government officials, businessmen and medical professionals ― to include middle-income citizens who have been traveling overseas with increasing frequency.