"Overseas Travel Surges... Consumer Complaints Increase Tenfold"

February Overseas Travel Consultations Up 931.4% YoY
Global OTA Activation... Reports of Cancellation and Refund Delays

Mr. A planned a trip to Europe earlier this year and purchased a package through a domestic travel agency last December. After paying about 1 million won as a deposit and preparing the itinerary, the travel agency canceled the reservation, citing failure to meet the minimum number of participants required for departure, and agreed to refund the deposit. However, the agency later closed its business and became unreachable, leaving Mr. A unable to recover his money.

Mr. B booked a hotel in Southeast Asia through a global online travel agency (OTA) earlier this year and set off on his trip, but upon arrival, he faced difficulties as his name was not recorded. Attempts to contact the customer service center were hindered because the office was located overseas, making communication difficult. Ultimately, he had to find alternative accommodation on his own, causing significant disruption to his eagerly anticipated travel plans.

A traveler is looking at the departure information display board at Terminal 1 departure hall of Incheon International Airport. [Image source=Yonhap News]

With the endemic phase of COVID-19 leading to a sharp increase in demand for overseas travel, cases of travel-related consumer complaints have also risen. According to the Korea Consumer Agency on the 11th, as of February this year, the number of consumer consultations related to international travel increased more than tenfold (931.4%) compared to the same period last year, and consultations related to airlines and passenger services rose about fourfold (321.7%). Additionally, the number of consultations regarding airline tickets received in January and February this year totaled 1,627, more than tripling compared to the same period last year.

Typical complaints include delays or refusals in canceling, changing, or refunding reservations. Excessive penalties or fees, failure to fulfill scheduled itineraries as stipulated in contracts, and cases where businesses closed without compensation are also included. When booking package products such as flights and accommodations through travel agencies, disputes often arise because refund policies vary widely among airlines and overseas lodging providers, especially when travelers face situations like adverse weather or changes in local conditions that discourage departure. As the use of global OTAs, which emphasize price competitiveness and volume, increases, a significant number of similar complaints have been reported.

Since overseas travel demand, suppressed for three years due to COVID-19, continues to grow, such disputes are likely to expand. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of South Korean overseas travelers reached 6.55 million last year, more than five times the previous year, and as of March this year, 4.98 million had already traveled abroad.

The Korea Consumer Agency advised consumers to prevent overseas airline ticket purchase-related damages by "carefully checking transaction conditions and terms such as ticket cancellation policies and fees when using global OTAs." They also recommended searching for recent reviews of the service provider, verifying boarding pass issuance and flight cancellations before the departure date, and seeking help through the International Consumer Protection Portal if damages occur.

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