Kumamoto Castle in Fukuoka
SEOUL, May 5 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean travelers have shown a preference for Japan as a destination for free travel and Southeast Asian countries for package deals, according to data released by TIMON.
Osaka
Osaka, Japan was the top destination for overseas free travel bookings for departures between January 1 and 14 this year. The second and third places were also taken by Japan, with Tokyo and Fukuoka. In contrast, Da Nang, Bangkok, and Guam were the most popular destinations for Southeast Asia package deals during the same period in 2019, before COVID-19.
Timon attributes Japan’s popularity to its easy accessibility and relatively low cost for short trips at entry level. However, only 8% of package tours chose Japan, while 55% of package tours selected Southeast Asia. Southeast Asian package deals are particularly popular among honeymoon travelers, who stay at hotels and resorts for rest and leisure.
Bangkok Grand Palace in Thailand
The pandemic has led to a rise in domestic travel in South Korea, with Timon’s domestic travel revenue growing by 15% in April compared to the same month in 2019. Travel to Jeju Island has surged by 20%, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. TIMON analyzed that the demand for domestic travel is driven by constraints such as the recovery rate of international air routes, which is still at 60-70% of pre-COVID-19 levels.
Danang in Vietnam
Accommodation preferences have also shifted, with hotels accounting for nearly 70% of sales in 2019, but only 44% this year. Pensions and camping make up 26% of sales, and resorts account for 22%.
Image credit: TMON, PXfuel, Pixabay / photonews@koreabizwire.com
