As Overseas Air Routes Open, Jeju Popularity Drops... Difficult to Attract Foreign Tourists Without 'Visa-Free Entry'

Domestic Tourists Visiting Jeju During COVID Now Flock to Overseas Travel
'Visa-Free Entry' Not Resumed...No Foreigners Entering Jeju

Dolharubang sculpture located inside Jeju Airport.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] As international flights resume in full swing from May, the travel and tourism industry is buzzing with good news, but Jeju Island is expected to be an 'exception.'

The government announced the 'International Flight Gradual Return to Normal Plan,' aiming to restore international flight operations to 50% of pre-COVID-19 levels by the end of this year, and will resume international flights at Jeju Airport starting in May.

Jeju Island experienced a tourism boom during the COVID-19 pandemic due to visits from domestic travelers.

However, as international air routes reopened, domestic demand for Jeju tourism declined, while demand for overseas travel increased.

According to Interpark Tour, from March 21, when quarantine requirements for overseas arrivals were lifted, to April 17, overseas flight ticket bookings increased by 133% compared to the same period last year.

The booking increase rates by route were highest for Oceania at 193%, Southeast Asia 178%, Europe 129%, and the Americas 115%, in that order.

Travel agency Chamjoeun Travel also reported that overseas travel bookings from April 1 to 17 reached 15,456, about six times higher than the 2,672 bookings during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, it is expected to be difficult for foreign tourists to fill the gap left by domestic travelers, as 'visa-free entry' has not resumed.

A representative from a travel agency in Jeju said, "Unlike other regions, Jeju cannot operate charter flights solely with Korean customers."

When operating charter flights, travel agencies in Jeju and overseas travel agencies share the costs equally to reduce the financial burden, but since visa-free entry is not allowed, overseas travel agencies are not offering travel packages to Jeju.

Since the visa-free entry system has been suspended for over two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeju’s travel industry has been struggling with a structure where inbound demand from overseas arrivals is absent, making it difficult to maintain profitability relying only on outbound travelers.

Not only the travel industry but also downtown duty-free shops and casino businesses, which mainly serve foreign tourists, are facing difficulties.

In fact, the duty-free industry, which suffered from indefinite temporary closures and reduced overseas customers due to COVID-19, saw store operations suspended following the withdrawal of famous luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Chanel.

The chairman of the Jeju Tourism Association stated, "The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause difficulties in the tourism industry," and emphasized, "To attract foreign tourists, easing quarantine measures including the resumption of visa-free entry must be implemented as soon as possible."

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