Paris and Praha Next Time... Enjoy the Holiday with a 'Virtual Trip'

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] #Office worker Jeon Bora (31) posted a photo taken last weekend with the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, as the background on her SNS (social networking service). In a situation where overseas travel is difficult due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), Jeon's photo, in which she is smiling brightly without wearing a mask, was tagged with the hashtag '#virtualtravel'.

#Jung Seongho (34), who visited Barcelona last year to watch a soccer match, is easing his disappointment by watching European soccer league games held during this year's Chuseok holiday. He usually travels every year to watch European soccer games, but this year it was difficult due to COVID-19. Jung said, "It's unfortunate, but I decided to postpone attending in person this year."

Recently, young people in their 20s and 30s are relieving their frustration of not being able to travel due to COVID-19 through 'virtual travel,' sharing photos or videos of past trips online. Jeon, who visited France and the UK a year ago, said, "I used to travel once or twice a year to relieve everyday stress, but since I have been staying at home due to COVID-19, I look back on memories by viewing photos from past trips," adding, "I think my SNS friends feel the same way, so I have been posting photos and videos of travel destinations recently. It's my only joy these days."

Recently, young people are quenching their 'travel thirst' caused by COVID-19 through virtual travel. Especially during the summer vacation season, with the resurgence of COVID-19 and recommendations by health authorities to refrain from visiting hometowns during the Lunar New Year holiday, travel restrictions were advised for the August-September holidays, making offline travel difficult and increasing the number of 'virtual travelers.' Although a total of 300,000 tourists visited Jeju during the Chuseok and National Foundation Day holidays (October 9?11), and domestic representative tourist spots are still crowded, many people are soothing their disappointment with virtual travel for quarantine purposes.

Many also reminisce about domestic travel, not just overseas. Especially, representative tourist spots such as beaches and cherry blossom paths, which were restricted this year, are often posted. University student Lee Jaeho (26) said, "I spent summers at Haeundae and Gyeongpodae every year, but this year I am staying home and sharing old photos with friends," adding, "I think I can travel once it is safe from the epidemic."

Local governments and organizations are also actively recommending virtual travel. On the 3rd, the Cultural Heritage Administration broadcasted live on YouTube the excavation process of the Silla gold crown from Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju, a Silla historic site. The Cultural Heritage Administration's YouTube channel has about 10,000 followers, but this live broadcast exceeded 70,000 cumulative views. Instead of offline visits that may pose infection risks, they promote local tourist sites online and encourage actual visits after the end of COVID-19.

Thus, virtual travel is establishing itself as another form of recreational culture in the COVID-19 era. Experts say this kind of recreational culture is a way to escape social stress caused by COVID-19. Professor Yoo Hongsik of the Department of Media Communication at Chung-Ang University said, "Stress caused by COVID-19 is worsening into 'COVID blues,'" adding, "I hope that a recreational culture that comforts each other online can spread."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.