"Should I Cancel My Reservation?" Non-Capital Region Social Distancing Tightening Increases 'Vacation Confusion'

6 out of 10 Adults "Still No Summer Vacation Plans"
"Don't Even Know When COVID-19 Will End"... Some Citizens Proceed with Travel
Experts Advise "Avoid Social Gatherings"

On the 18th, as the spread of COVID-19 continued, many Jeju residents and tourists gathered at Hamdeok Beach in Jeju. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "I'm worried I might have to cancel my trip.", "How long are we supposed to wait for COVID-19 to end?"

As the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies ahead of the summer vacation season, more people are reconsidering their holiday plans. Especially after restrictions on private gatherings were extended from the metropolitan area to non-metropolitan regions, many who initially planned trips with several acquaintances are now forced to cancel their travel plans due to the limit on the number of people allowed.

However, some are feeling fatigued by the uncertainty of when the COVID-19 situation will end and are determined to proceed with their travels. Experts have urged people to refrain from going out to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

The government decided to limit private gatherings to up to four people in non-metropolitan areas starting from the 19th. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum emphasized at a recent Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting held at the Government Seoul Office, "We need quarantine measures that are one step ahead of the virus transmission speed," and added, "We must focus all our efforts on quarantine during the remaining week."

This government measure comes just one week after implementing Level 4 social distancing in the metropolitan area. Currently, in the three metropolitan cities of Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, under Level 4 social distancing, only up to four people can gather during the daytime, and after 6 p.m., gatherings are limited to two people.

However, as the spread of COVID-19 worsened nationwide, the government decided to allow private gatherings of up to four people in all non-metropolitan regions for two weeks until the 1st of next month.

On the morning of the 19th, citizens are waiting for their turn for diagnostic testing at the temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Some citizens who had planned vacations expressed frustration but said, "We had no choice but to cancel the plans." Office worker Jeon Mo (25) said, "Until last month, I thought I could go on this summer vacation, so I booked a hotel and flight tickets in Jeju Island in advance. I prayed to have a safe trip, but given the situation, I ended up canceling. I had been looking forward to the vacation for weeks, so I feel down. But I was scared of getting infected if I went to crowded places like restaurants or tourist spots," she lamented.

Meanwhile, a considerable number of citizens reportedly did not make vacation plans due to COVID-19. According to a survey conducted by Lotte Members on 5,000 adult men and women nationwide about summer vacation plans, 63% of respondents answered, "I don't have any vacation plans yet." Among them, 62.9% said they did not make plans due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 infection.

Also, those who had summer vacation plans reportedly canceled or changed them due to the resurgence of COVID-19 and the elevation of social distancing levels. In the same survey, 11.8% responded that they "plan to cancel or have already canceled their vacation plans," and 9.8% said they "plan to change or have already changed their vacation plans."

On the other hand, some express fatigue from the prolonged COVID-19 situation and intend to proceed with travel. University student Jeong Mo (24), living in Mapo-gu, Seoul, said, "I decided to enjoy a 'hotel vacation' in Busan with my friends. I thought about canceling the schedule because of COVID-19, but when I see on SNS, everyone seems to be going around just fine."

He added, "I couldn't go abroad last year because of COVID-19. We don't know when COVID will end, so how long do we have to endure?" he vented.

Experts pointed out the need to refrain from gatherings aimed at socializing. Professor Eom Jung-sik, an infectious disease specialist at Gachon University Gil Medical Center, said, "It is uncertain whether strengthening social distancing in non-metropolitan areas will reduce travelers. The best way is to refrain from going out. While it is impossible to control outings necessary for daily life, gatherings for social purposes should be avoided. It is important not to create environments where people can have prolonged contact with many others," he emphasized.

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