1 in 2 Pet Owners Travel with Their Dogs... 'Pensions Most Preferred'

Korea Tourism Organization Announces '2022 Survey on Traveling with Companion Animals'

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] One in two pet owners has experienced an overnight trip with their pet within the past year. However, accommodations that allow pets are insufficient compared to demand.

According to the ‘2022 Pet-Friendly Travel Survey’ released by the Korea Tourism Organization on the 28th, 65.7% of respondents reported having taken a day trip with their dog within the past year, with an average annual frequency of 2.1 times. Among them, 53.0% experienced overnight trips, averaging 1.2 times.

When traveling with dogs, preferred activities included “enjoying natural scenery (43.9%)”, “food tourism (42.5%)”, and “rest and relaxation (41.6%)”. Notably, there was a high preference for natural and outdoor environments where dogs can be off-leash and run freely.

As for transportation, “private car (79.3%)” was overwhelmingly preferred, while public transportation such as taxis, trains, and buses accounted for about 5%, indicating challenges in using public transit for dog-friendly travel. Regarding the use of ‘pet taxis’ that accommodate dogs, 59.8% expressed willingness to use them, but actual usage was only 1.9%. This was attributed to high fares and a shortage of pet taxis outside Seoul.

Infographic on the Status of Companion Animals. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

Among accommodations, “pensions (46.4%)” had the highest usage rate due to facilities for dogs such as dog parks and swimming pools, convenience items, and provision of private spaces. When choosing accommodations, respondents mainly considered “admission criteria based on dog breed and number of dogs (49.6%)”, “dining environment such as nearby restaurants or cafes that allow dogs (36.3%)”, and “play facilities for dogs (35.6%)”.

When preparing for travel, considerations included “convenience facilities for dogs at tourist sites (46.2%)”, “play facilities for dogs (38.7%)”, and “transportation (36.1%)”.

Expenditure for dog-friendly travel averaged 125,709 KRW per person for day trips and 289,771 KRW for overnight trips. For day trips, food and beverage expenses accounted for the largest share at 31.9%, while accommodation costs were the largest expense at 37.2% for overnight trips.

Among surveyed pet owners, 74.4% expressed willingness to travel domestically with their dogs in the future, confirming the potential of the dog-friendly travel industry. However, a major barrier cited was the lack of infrastructure such as accommodations, dining facilities, and tourist sites that allow dogs.

Infographic on the Status of Companion Animals. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

Most preferred “independent travel (82.7%)” when traveling with dogs. Interest in package tours was low (17.3%), but willingness to use pet-exclusive travel products was relatively high at 56.3%, indicating a preference for traveling with fellow pet owners without concern for non-pet owners’ attitudes.

Pet-exclusive travel products were favored for long-distance destinations or islands where individual independent travel is difficult, and were preferred due to reduced effort in information searching and greater convenience in transportation.

Regarding key etiquette (petiquette) that pet owners should observe, about 80% of pet owners responded that they “comply well,” whereas only about 30% of non-pet owners perceived that pet owners “comply well,” showing a difference in perception.

Regarding conflicts related to dogs, pet owners pointed to “actions and perceptions of non-pet owners” as the biggest issue, while non-pet owners cited “hygiene and noise from pets.” To resolve these issues, mutual efforts between pet owners and non-pet owners are needed through education systems for pet owners, campaigns to establish a culture of dog-friendly travel, and petiquette campaigns targeting non-pet owners.

Jung Yongmoon, head of the Leisure Tourism Team at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, “This survey revealed that creating a travel environment without inconvenience for pet-friendly travel is an important task,” adding, “We plan to foster pet-friendly tourism as a new growth engine for domestic tourism by creating a pet-friendly tourism environment in the future.”

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