Gangneung Hotels Jump from 80,000 Won to Over 600,000 Won... Korea, China, Japan Golden Holiday Already Fully Booked

Five-Day Holiday in Early May Including Labor Day
Japanese Golden Week and Chinese Labor Day Holidays Coincide
Major Tourist Hotels and Resorts Near Full Occupancy
Minimum Room Rates Soar More Than Sevenfold
Fierce Competition for Room

With the return of the upcoming 'golden holiday' in early May, which can last up to five days, major hotels and resorts across Korea have reached near-full occupancy rates. The demand for domestic travel has increased as the exchange rate and oil prices have risen due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, prompting many to choose domestic destinations over overseas trips. Additionally, this period coincides with public holidays in neighboring countries such as Japan and China, resulting in a surge of foreign tourists visiting Korea. As a result, only high-priced rooms costing between 2 million and 3 million won remain available at premium accommodations, while room rates at major tourist destinations have soared to more than seven times their usual prices.

Foreign tourists, including those from Japan and China, are arriving at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

According to industry sources on the 29th, hotels and resorts operated by Lotte Hotels & Resorts, including L7 Myeongdong by Lotte Hotel and Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong in central Seoul, as well as Lotte Resort Sokcho and Buyeo, have recorded occupancy rates of over 95% for the period from May 1 to 4, effectively reaching full capacity. Lotte Hotel Jeju and Lotte City Hotel Jeju have also reached about 90% occupancy.

During the same period, the occupancy rate at major properties operated by Josun Hotels & Resorts in Seoul, Busan, and Jeju exceeded 85%. Key resorts and hotels run by Eland Park Kensington Hotels & Resorts in Seoul, Seorak in Gangwon Province, Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province, Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province, and Jeju also surpassed 90% occupancy, nearing full capacity. In the industry, it is generally considered a peak season if more than 90% of all rooms are filled, taking into account maintenance, repairs, and contingency needs.

This year, with Labor Day (May 1) newly designated as a legal holiday, those who take a day off on May 4 can enjoy a five-day break including Children's Day (May 5). This has led to increased demand for domestic travel, and many travelers have rushed to secure their accommodations early. During this period, Japan's 'Golden Week' (from late April to early May) and China's 'Labor Day' (May 1-5) also overlap, making it even harder to find available rooms.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of Japanese tourists visiting Korea during this golden holiday period is expected to reach 80,000 to 90,000, a daily average increase of 18–20% compared to the same period last year. The number of Chinese tourists is also forecast to rise to 100,000–110,000, up 22–32% from last year's holiday period.

In fact, at the Grand Hyatt Jeju, located within the Jeju Dream Tower complex resort operated by Lotte Tour Development, up to 1,550 out of 1,600 rooms have been booked per day in early May, with more than 70% of these guests identified as foreigners. At Paradise City, a complex resort in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, Japanese tourists, who make up a significant portion of casino customers, have boosted the number of reservations to over 90% of its 769 rooms. Furthermore, Hyatt Regency Incheon Paradise City, which Paradise acquired and reopened last month, has recorded nearly full occupancy for all 501 rooms for the first time since its renovation and reopening.

An industry insider explained, "As interest in traveling to Korea among foreign tourists increases, reservations are being spread not only to the traditionally popular tourist destinations of Seoul, Busan, and Jeju, but also to nationwide properties favored by domestic travelers, such as those in Gangwon Province. Foreigners' travel purposes are also diversifying, with activities like hiking in Seoraksan Mountain and running along the coastline becoming more popular, and a trend toward small-city-focused travel, similar to what is seen in Japan, is spreading."

The prices of remaining available rooms at major tourist destinations have also risen sharply. According to Triple, a hyper-personalized travel platform operated by Nol Universe, the minimum nightly rate for an Executive Grand Deluxe Room at The Shilla Seoul on the peak day of May 2 is set at 1.86 million won. This room, which includes access to the lounge and outdoor swimming pool, usually costs around 600,000 won on weekdays in May, making the holiday rate more than three times higher. At Grand Hyatt Jeju, only suites priced close to 3 million won remain available. Elsewhere, the lowest-priced booking for Shilla Stay Haeundae in May, which is normally 159,000 won, has jumped to 593,000 won during the golden holiday. At Skybay Hotel Gyeongpo in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, the lowest weekday rate in May is 82,000 won, but this rises to 607,000 won during the golden holiday, an increase of more than seven times.

An industry source added, "As demand for rooms at major tourist destinations increases, even customers with resort memberships find it difficult to secure reservations for their desired dates. This has intensified competition for booking hotels that do not distinguish between members and non-members as a backup option. With the continued increase in foreign tourists, reservations are already being filled for the summer peak season and beyond."

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