Endemic Summer Vacation: Flights Around 400,000 KRW and 4-Star Hotels Appear

Post-COVID-19 Emergency Overseas Travel
Preference for Nearby Destinations like Japan and Southeast Asia
Increased Searches for Higher-Rated Accommodations Considering Safety and Convenience

As the government declared the de facto end of the COVID-19 emergency after 3 years and 4 months, a trend of overseas travel focusing on 'value for money' in terms of psychological satisfaction is spreading ahead of the first summer vacation season since the endemic (periodic outbreak of infectious diseases). Nearby travel destinations where airline tickets can be purchased for 400,000 to 500,000 KRW are gaining attention, and the number of consumers seeking 5-star hotels for accommodation has increased.

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

On the 13th, global hotel search platform 'HotelsCombined' and global travel search platform 'KAYAK' analyzed popular travel destinations and hotel ratings for summer vacations from July 1 to August 31, finding that both overseas airline ticket and hotel search volumes increased more than threefold compared to the same period last year.

This summer, popular overseas travel destinations were major cities in Southeast Asia such as Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand, which are relatively close to South Korea. Specifically, Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, Da Nang in Vietnam, Bangkok in Thailand, and Nha Trang in Vietnam ranked highest in search volume. During the same period last year, long-distance travel destinations such as Hawaii and Paris, France had high airline ticket search volumes, but this year, nearby destinations occupied the top ranks. These regions are characterized by relatively affordable airline ticket prices in the range of 300,000 to 400,000 KRW.

Tokyo's average round-trip economy class ticket price during the summer vacation season was about 340,000 KRW per person, and Osaka was around 314,000 KRW. Da Nang tickets were booked at 494,000 KRW, Bangkok at 499,000 KRW, and Nha Trang at 505,000 KRW.

In addition, coastal and resort-type overseas travel destinations such as Bohol in the Philippines attracted attention, and Sapporo and Fukuoka in Japan, as well as Taipei in Taiwan, were also among the frequently searched regions for airline tickets. With the surge in overseas travel demand coinciding with the traditional peak season, airline ticket prices for nearby destinations generally rose compared to the same period last year. Notably, average ticket purchase prices increased by more than 20% compared to last year in Osaka (23%), Da Nang (25%), Nha Trang (22%), and Sapporo (29%).

Consumers planning summer vacations abroad preferred hotels with good facilities and services. Among those attempting reservations through HotelsCombined and KAYAK, 4-star hotels were the most searched, followed by 5-star hotels. A travel industry official stated, "Since overseas travel destinations are unfamiliar and have significant travel restrictions, there is high demand for verified luxury hotels where travelers can rest in a safe and comfortable environment, even if it means paying more."

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