“When we search for London on social media, it’s the first thing we see,” said one South Korean who visited the Seven Sisters cliffs, two hours south of London.
EAST SUSSEX, England — To an online travel site popular with younger Chinese travelers, the cliffs about two hours’ drive south of London are a “windy paradise.” In June, a South Korean actress shared a picture of herself at the cliffs, along with a video in which she stands uncomfortably close to the vertiginous edge. And the stars of a Korean reality television show visited them in a spring episode.
“When we search for London on social media, it’s the first thing we see,” Hyeon Hui Shin, a 28-year-old tourist from South Korea, said of the East Sussex cliffs, known as the Seven Sisters. “I didn’t know it was so far from London!”
The Seven Sisters — stark, white chalk cliffs facing the English Channel — have long been popular among hikers, a hardy, “walking type,” said Fran Downton, a marketing manager at Tourism South East, the region’s tourist board.
But over the past two years, visitors from China have been increasingly hopping on trains to make day trips here from London. Travelers from South Korea have now started joining them. And they are largely inspired by the cliffs’ appearances in social media, films — especially the “Harry Potter” series — and by recommendations from celebrities.
This summer, the burgeoning visitor demographic was clear to see, with people lining the cliffs’ edge, posing for photos. The number of visitors to East Sussex from that region has also been up even in the cooler fall months.
When Ms. Shin came from South Korea to see a friend studying near London, a visit to the cliffs was a priority.
“It’s the first thing: I told her I want to see Seven Sisters,” she said, explaining in the blustery wind that the cliffs caught her imagination before Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and even the white cliffs at Dover .
Local officials see the influx of visitors as an opportunity. The local council’s tourism branch is considering adding a visitor center and looking at ways to entice these international travelers to stay longer and explore nearby towns. It is also looking for partner organizations in China to help with promotion.
The new visitors also reflect a broader change in Britain’s tourism demographics.
