Gmarket and Auction Overseas Air Ticket Sales Surge 9 Times... "Preferring Far Places Over Nearby"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The demand for overseas travel, which had been suppressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is exploding. In particular, there is a strong tendency to prefer long-distance travel destinations with relatively longer flight times rather than nearby countries.

According to Gmarket and Auction, from the 11th of last month to the 10th of this month, overseas flight ticket sales increased ninefold, and overseas local tour products increased eightfold. In contrast, domestic flight ticket sales during the same period changed by only 3%.

The trend of traveling to distant countries has strengthened. In fact, the top overseas flight ticket sales rankings were Cambodia in first place, Los Angeles in second, and Hawaii in third. Among the top 10 sales rankings, six destinations are long-distance travel spots with flight times exceeding six hours. On the other hand, before the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, the top three were Osaka in first, Da Nang in second, and Fukuoka in third, and Bangkok was the only destination with a flight time over six hours in the top 10 sales rankings.

The profile of overseas flight ticket buyers has also changed. The proportion of male customers, which was only 43% in 2019, exceeded half (51%) for the first time this year, surpassing female customers. The proportion of customers aged 50 and over reached 32%, a significant increase compared to three years ago (24%).

A Gmarket official said, “There is a high popularity for travel destinations that were previously difficult to decide on, as a form of compensation psychology for the overseas travel that had been suppressed,” adding, “It is also characteristic that travelers tend to prepare thoroughly in advance, considering hygiene and quarantine levels.”

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