Controversy in Gwangmyeong City Over Asking Families of Overseas Arrivals to Stay in Expensive 'Hotels'

Gwangmyeong City Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Shinwon Yoon] Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province is facing controversy for deciding to offer discounted accommodation fees to families of overseas arrivals who stay at hotels to prevent secondary infections of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

On the 7th, Gwangmyeong City announced, "To ensure perfect self-quarantine for overseas arrivals and prevent secondary infections among their families, we have designated La Casa Hotel and JS Boutique Hotel within the city as 'Safe Accommodations.'"

If family members of arrivals, rather than the arrivals themselves, stay at La Casa Hotel, the accommodation fee will be discounted from the official price of 230,000 KRW to 70,000 KRW (based on a standard room per night). At JS Boutique Hotel, the fee will be reduced from 110,000 KRW to 77,000 KRW with a 30% discount. The discount benefits are available only if guests stay for more than one week, considering the self-quarantine period of the arrivals.

There are criticisms that it might be more efficient to isolate and manage overseas arrivals in separate facilities rather than having their families stay in expensive hotels.

However, even with the discount, if two family members stay at the hotel for the two-week self-quarantine period, accommodation fees amount to about 1 million KRW. For three or more people, more than two rooms are required, pushing accommodation costs beyond 2 million KRW. Moreover, while the city stated that discounts would be given for stays longer than one week, hotels have indicated that benefits are only available for stays of two weeks.

In particular, although the city announced a 70% discount for La Casa Hotel and a 30% discount for JS Boutique Hotel, online booking sites list La Casa Hotel’s daily rate at 100,000 KRW and JS Boutique Hotel’s at 88,000 KRW, meaning the actual discount rates are only about 30% (La Casa Hotel) and 11% (JS Boutique Hotel).

In response, a city official explained, "This measure is to provide accommodation fee discounts when families of arrivals use hotels," adding, "It is not intended to support hotel businesses."