Incheon Airport's Passenger Traffic on Japan Routes Drops 12%... Alternative Destinations Vietnam and Philippines Rise 20%

Effect of Japan Travel Boycott... Total Passenger Numbers Increase Amid Rapid Growth in Southeast Asia

On the 26th, as the refusal to travel to Japan spreads following Japan's export restrictions, the check-in counter for a Japanese airline at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport shows a quiet scene.
Yeongjongdo - Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Last year, passenger traffic on Japan routes at Incheon International Airport decreased by about 12%. In contrast, alternative destinations such as Vietnam and the Philippines saw passenger traffic increase by about 20%, demonstrating the impact of the 'Japan travel boycott movement.'

According to Incheon International Airport Corporation on the 9th, last year’s passenger traffic on Japan routes at Incheon Airport was tentatively estimated at 11,855,858, down 11.7% compared to the same period the previous year. This count by the corporation was based on arrivals and departures on Japan routes regardless of nationality.

Until July last year, the number of passengers on Japan routes showed continuous growth, but from August, a sharp decline appeared. The monthly decrease rates were ▲ August 19.5% ▲ September 29.2% ▲ October 38.9% ▲ November 39.5% ▲ December 37.4%.

This decline is interpreted as a direct effect of the Japan travel boycott movement following Japan’s removal of South Korea from its whitelist in July. The corporation explained, "After Japan’s whitelist removal measure, the decrease in international passengers on the Incheon-Japan route became more pronounced," adding, "Both arrivals (down 11.2%) and departures (down 12.2%) decreased."

On the other hand, Southeast Asia, chosen as an alternative destination by domestic airlines including low-cost carriers (LCCs), recorded 21,283,900 passengers, an 11.7% increase compared to the previous year, clearly contrasting with the decline on Japan routes.

In particular, the Philippines (25.5%), Vietnam (20.6%), and Thailand (11.0%), which have recently been spotlighted as alternative tourist destinations, showed high passenger growth rates in the 10-20% range. A corporation official stated, "Despite the decrease in passengers on Japan routes, international passengers in the Southeast Asia region rose sharply, driving the overall passenger growth."