"Pets Welcome"…Luxury Hotels Also Offer 'Petcance Packages'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] As the number of 'pet owners' living with companion animals reaches 15 million, the hotel industry is accelerating the launch of related products. Especially this summer, with strengthened social distancing measures due to the spread of COVID-19 and one of the most severe heatwaves, demand has increased for relaxing in personal spaces with pets or enjoying a "pet-cation" (pet + vacation) in nearby urban areas. Consequently, luxury hotels are successively introducing 'pet-cation' packages.

◆ "Quiet vacation with pets... fully booked until September"

According to the hotel industry on the 29th, reservations for hotels and resorts that allow pets during this summer vacation period have surged, leading to a variety of related products being launched.

The 'Petmilia is Here' package, a pet-exclusive product offered by Kensington Resort Seorak Valley in Goseong-gun, Gangwon Province, is fully booked on weekends until September 30. Kensington Seorak Valley is a detached resort operating 8 pet-exclusive rooms and a pet park. The package includes ▲Royal Suite Pet Bern room ▲Breakfast lunchbox for 2 ▲Summer seasonal drinks (cherryade or watermelon juice) for 2 ▲Pet stroller ▲Pet health snacks ▲Dog beer ▲Petmilia pet care room ▲Pet welcome kit ▲Unlimited use of the pet park and more. The price for this package starts from 299,000 KRW. A Kensington Seorak Valley official said, "Including weekday reservations, the booking rate is about 90% until the end of September," adding, "Offering pet park passes resembling a Swiss village makes it popular not only during the summer vacation season but also regularly."

The 'Meong-cation Package' introduced by Grand Josun Busan saw reservation numbers increase about sixfold compared to January. Riding on this popularity, Grand Josun Busan added one more room for the Meong-cation package and has been accepting additional bookings since the 10th of next month. A hotel official explained, "Previously, we designated three pet-exclusive rooms as Deluxe Partial Ocean View King type, but from the 15th, we added one Corner Suite Ondol room."

◆ Urban luxury hotels also offer 'pet-cation' packages... part of profits donated

Seoul's luxury hotels are also launching various 'pet-cation' products. These target those who want to enjoy personal relaxation without traveling far, using premium pet strollers, dry rooms, and more.

Chosun Hotel & Resort's 'Chosun Palace Seoul Gangnam, a Luxury Collection Hotel (Chosun Palace)' recently launched the 'Night Out with My Pet' package. This is the first pet package introduced since Chosun Palace opened in May. Guests can choose between the Masters Room or Masters Junior Suite Room, and premium pet design brand Howlpot's Howly House, Dipang's Pet Step, Dogtok's potty pad, and Arre's feeding bowls are pre-set in the room. A pet dry room from the specialized brand BoomPet is also provided. Upon check-in, five types of welcome amenities necessary for dogs are given. The hotel offers a rental service for the pet stroller 'Mirimir Light Stroller' upon entry. Additionally, a 100,000 KRW credit usable at all Chosun Palace dining outlets is provided. The package price starts from 550,000 KRW for the Masters Room and 750,000 KRW for the Masters Junior Suite Room (based on one dog staying).

Conrad Seoul, aiming for 'pet-friendly service,' has been donating part of the proceeds from its 'Petmilication' package, launched last year, to the animal rights organization 'KARA.' 'Petmilication' is a service designed to allow leisure and relaxation with pets in the city, which took about a year of preparation before its popular launch. The rooms are equipped with German premium brand Miacara's Kobo bed and food bowl, Small Stuff's Dig Step, Royal Tails' pet stroller, and Dogtok's potty pad. A welcome amenity kit worth 120,000 KRW, including limited edition Petmilication toys, mini pillows, and snacks, is also provided. The price starts from 500,000 KRW (for 2 adults, 1 pet dog, excluding tax).

According to the '2021 Korea Pet Report' by KB Financial Group Management Research Institute, as of the end of last year, 6.04 million households in Korea own pets, accounting for 29.7% of all households. The number of pet owners reaches 14.48 million. The related industry is also growing. According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, the pet market size reached 3.3753 trillion KRW last year and is expected to exceed 6 trillion KRW by 2027.

An industry official said, "As the pet-related industry expands comprehensively, the hotel industry will accelerate collaborative products and package development," adding, "However, since high-quality services must be provided to everyone, more attention should be paid not only to rooms but also to managing movement paths to prevent inconvenience to customers with allergies."