Vacationers head to a rental car parking lot after landing at Jeju International Airport, the gateway to Jeju Island, in this file photo taken July 10, 2021. (Yonhap)
JEJU, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Despite the fourth wave of COVID-19 plaguing South Korea, the monthly number of visitors to the southern resort island of Jeju is expected to top 1 million for the fourth consecutive month in July, industry data showed Thursday, indicating an unstoppable tourism fever among locals.
According to the data from Jeju’s tourism association, 991,966 tourists arrived on Jeju between July 1-28. With an additional 34,000 visitors expected Thursday, the monthly tally is estimated to reach 1.02 million.
As a daily average of 35,000 people visit Jeju these days and more tourists are expected to come over the weekend, this month’s cumulative tourist arrivals are expected to be close to or top 1.1 million, the association said.
The monthly number of Jeju visitors will thus exceed 1 million for four months in a row, with 1,082,861 in April, 1,136,452 in May and 1,127,082 in June, it said.
Association officials speculate that local tourists increasingly prefer Jeju as an alternative to overseas travel due to coronavirus-related international travel restrictions and the nation’s rising vaccination rate has also added to the tourism fever.
But health authorities are concerned as the steady influx of visitors has led to a record number of COVID-19 cases on the resort island.
In the first 28 days of July, more than 400 coronavirus infections occurred on Jeju, which had earlier reported 340 cases in December last year, 328 cases in May and 223 cases in June.
Vacationers enjoy swimming at Hamdeok Beach on Jeju Island, in this file photo taken July 18, 2021. (Yonhap)
Moreover, COVID-19 transmissions through tourists have also been on the rise.
In one instance, 15 people, including tourists, were confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus this week after attending drinking parties at three guesthouses on Jeju.
A group of six tourists were all declared infected with COVID-19 on Wednesday, despite the island’s ban on private gatherings of five or more people.
Jeju’s provincial government is gearing up to implement stronger quarantine measures as the number of visitors is expected to further increase in August.
“In some ways, Jeju Island is the most vulnerable place from July to August due to the steady stream of tourists. Authorities will take stern measures against quarantine rule violators,” said a provincial government official, asking visitors to take all possible precautions, including wearing masks.
Jeju is now under the Level 3 social distancing restrictions, the second highest in the nation’s four-tier system, enforcing a 10 p.m. curfew on restaurants and cafes, and prohibiting private gatherings of five or more.
The Jeju government has also ordered the shutdown of all 1,356 entertainment facilities in the province, due to fears of COVID-19 transmissions.
(Yonhap)
