The Second Summer of COVID-19... People Worried About Vacations
Parents Say "Remote Classes and Summer Break... We Have No Choice but to Go"
From 'Molrae Hyugajok' Who Don't Post on SNS to 'Homecance Jok'
[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] "I'm worried, but I can't just not go..."
Jeon Hee-soo (37, pseudonym), an office worker living in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, is having a headache these days trying to plan her summer vacation. She originally planned to spend her vacation in Busan, but recently canceled the entire schedule due to the increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases. She also considered not taking a vacation, but she could clearly picture her children staying at home throughout the school break. In the end, Jeon is looking for an alternative place where her family can spend time together while avoiding crowded areas.
As this is the second summer vacation since the spread of COVID-19, office workers' concerns have deepened. Depending on their individual circumstances, their choices are divided into several paths.
Parents with young children are worried about infection but also feel uneasy about keeping their children at home throughout the summer break. Kim Yoo-sun (35, pseudonym), a parent, said, "With remote classes and the summer break combined, we have to stay home for almost a month, and postponing the vacation seems too harsh for the kids." She added, "Reluctantly, we are planning a vacation to a place with as few crowds as possible." Most kids' pensions in the metropolitan area and nearby regions such as Gangwon, Chungbuk, and Chungnam have been fully booked on weekdays since early this month. Many places are fully booked until next month. Resorts or hotels with separate kids' rooms were also fully booked early on.
Due to concerns about others' perceptions, many people who go on vacation do not inform those around them or post photos on social networking services (SNS), becoming so-called 'secret vacationers.' There is also a phenomenon of people flocking to non-metropolitan areas where the spread of COVID-19 is relatively less severe. Shin Jong-hyun (32, pseudonym), an office worker, said, "I decided to spend my vacation in a quiet countryside area, avoiding crowded tourist spots." He added, "I usually post many daily photos on SNS, but this vacation, I plan to quietly go with my girlfriend."
On the other hand, many are planning 'staycation' or 'homecations.' Marketing efforts targeting this trend are pouring out from the distribution industry and others. Many are also postponing their vacations while monitoring the COVID-19 situation. According to a survey conducted by Lotte Members on the 12th and 13th of this month targeting 5,000 adult men and women, 6 out of 10 (63%) said they have no vacation plans yet. 11.8% responded that they plan to cancel or have canceled their vacation plans, and 9.8% said they plan to change or have already changed their vacation plans. Among respondents, 15.4% said they plan to take their vacation as scheduled.
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