"Already Booked Plane Tickets" but Went to Travel Destination... Lunar New Year Holiday, Concerns Over COVID Spread

143,000 Lunar New Year Holiday Travelers and Tourists to Jeju
Hotel Booking Rates Up in Jeju, Gangwon, and Other Destinations
Government Urges "Refrain from Traveling During Lunar New Year Holiday... Risk of COVID-19 Resurgence in the Capital Area"

Those arriving at Jeju International Airport are wearing masks and heading to the parking lot. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "I'm planning to take a short trip nearby.", "I already booked a hotel, so I can't help it."

Despite the government's request to refrain from returning home and traveling during the Lunar New Year holiday due to the impact of COVID-19, some citizens are still planning trips, drawing criticism. They express fatigue from the ongoing social distancing guidelines and are seen heading to travel destinations such as Jeju and Gangwon.

Some voices point out the possibility of crowds gathering at travel spots and express concerns about the spread of COVID-19. Especially as cases of infections with variant viruses that have higher transmissibility than the original virus continue to emerge, these concerns are growing even stronger.

The government has urged people to minimize travel and movement during the Lunar New Year holiday. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun recently stated at a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting held at the Government Seoul Office, "It seems that quite a few people are planning trips instead of visiting their hometowns, as accommodations at major tourist spots are already fully booked." He added, "Even Jeju Island is expected to see about 140,000 visitors, including tourists, during this Lunar New Year holiday. Although this number is not large compared to previous years, Jeju residents are already worried about the spread of COVID-19."

He continued, "The third wave has not yet ended," and emphasized, "I earnestly ask all citizens once again to refrain from traveling and moving as much as possible during this Lunar New Year holiday."

Despite the government's recommendations, it appears that many still intend to enjoy travel during the holiday. The Jeju Tourism Association forecasted on the 3rd that about 143,000 people will visit Jeju over the five days from the 10th, a day before the holiday, to the last day of the holiday on the 14th.

Additionally, hotel and resort bookings are continuing in major travel destinations such as Busan and Gangwon ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. Due to social distancing measures, premium hotels in the Haeundae area of Busan are operating at about two-thirds capacity but are showing over 60% booking rates. Major resorts and hotels along the East Coast of Gangwon are also fully booked, making it difficult to find vacant rooms.

Travelers arriving at Jeju International Airport are moving while wearing masks. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

As many tourists are expected to flock during the Lunar New Year holiday, some citizens are concerned about the risk of COVID-19 infection. There is a high possibility that social distancing and other quarantine rules will not be observed in crowded travel spots.

A netizen who identified themselves as a Jeju resident said, "Jeju is an easy target. No matter how well the residents follow social distancing and other quarantine guidelines, tourists come and spread the virus." They raised their voice, saying, "Last year, there were infections originating from tourists, which made things difficult. Can anyone guarantee that such infections won't happen again during this holiday?"

They added, "At famous tourist spots, many people are seen not wearing masks just because they are taking photos," expressing frustration, "I hope people at least follow the quarantine rules while traveling."

Previously, Jeju had a hard time last year due to tourists who did not follow COVID-19 quarantine rules while traveling. In July last year, a confirmed case from Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, who traveled to Jeju for five nights and six days while taking fever reducers, caused four Jeju residents to be consecutively confirmed positive.

At that time, the confirmed case showed symptoms such as chills and cough but did not stop traveling and also failed to properly follow quarantine rules, such as not wearing a mask, which sparked public outrage.

As a result, citizens are worried that the number of confirmed cases might increase starting from the Lunar New Year holiday. Previously, during the golden holiday in May and the Liberation Day holiday in August last year, COVID-19 cases surged dramatically.

In May, infections related to clubs and pubs in Itaewon, Seoul, led to a resurgence of COVID-19, and in August, the number of confirmed cases surged due to the Gwanghwamun rally in Seoul.

Office worker Jeong (26) said, "These days, you can see many friends who have traveled on Instagram and other platforms," adding, "When the holidays come, people have more free time, so more people tend to travel. As social distancing continues and the weather gets warmer, people's vigilance seems to be loosening."

He continued, "There are ongoing cases of infections caused by variant viruses, and I am afraid that if things go wrong, a 'fourth wave' might come," adding, "Although it is difficult, I think each individual needs to pay more attention to quarantine guidelines at times like this."

The quarantine authorities also urged residents of the metropolitan area to refrain from traveling. Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, said at an online regular briefing on the 7th, "The metropolitan area has a large population and high population mobility, so the effect of suppressing infections is lower than in non-metropolitan areas," emphasizing, "Since the situation in the metropolitan area is not stable and there is a risk of a resurgence, please refrain from traveling or returning home during the Lunar New Year holiday."

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