Labor Day and Children's Day, Golden Holidays in May
Family Travelers Surge... Major Hotels and Resorts Nationwide Fully Booked
Children-Targeted Events... City Hotel Stays Also Expand Programs
Office worker Lee Junsung (37) was surprised to hear that a resort in Gyeonggi Province was already fully booked when he tried to make a reservation about a month ahead of the early May holiday that includes Children's Day in the first week of May. After hurriedly checking various places, he eventually booked a flight ticket to Jeju and a 5-star hotel in Seogwipo City. Lee said, "Since my child is young, I considered going somewhere closer, but the resorts I had my eye on were already difficult to book for the desired dates. With two holidays including Labor Day, I decided to take the trip to Jeju to properly enjoy one of the breaks with my child."
As the golden holiday in May approaches, hotels and resorts nationwide are bustling with people planning domestic trips with their families. Major hotels and resorts in tourist destinations across the country were fully booked shortly after reservations opened. This year, with the acceleration of the endemic phase (periodic outbreaks of infectious diseases), more people are traveling abroad, which has led to relatively more availability in famous hotels in Jeju, raising expectations after a long time.
Models are promoting the Family Month package at Grand Josun Jeju. [Photo by Chosun Hotel & Resort].
According to the hotel and resort industry on the 19th, the 4-6 day holiday including Children's Day in May shows nearly 100% reservation rates at Hanwha Hotels & Resorts locations in Geoje, Busan (Haeundae), Jeju, and Yeosu. A Hanwha Hotels & Resorts official said, "Reservations for May opened in early March, and Geoje and Haeundae were already fully booked from that time." The situation is similar for Kensington Hotels & Resorts and Sono Hotels & Resorts. The average reservation rate for hotels and resorts operated by Kensington Hotels & Resorts in Seoul, Gangwon, Hadong in Gyeongnam, and Jeju is over 90%. Kensington Hotel Pyeongchang in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon, which usually caters mainly to families with children, had already fully booked its May 5th slots with events such as the 'Cocomong Performance' prepared for Children's Day. Kensington Resort Seorak Valley and Seorak Beach in Goseong-gun, Gangwon, have average reservation rates exceeding 97%, and Kensington Resort Jirisan Hadong in Hadong, Gyeongnam, is nearly fully booked with an average of over 95%. Sono Hotels & Resorts' properties in Goseong-gun, Gangwon?Delpino, Sol Beach Yangyang, and Sol Beach Samcheok?have all completed reservations for family and suite types during the Children's Day holiday.
Jeju, which had concerns about a downturn this year after enjoying a boom during the COVID-19 period, is now bustling with reservation customers for the golden holiday in May. Parnas Hotel Jeju, which opened in Jungmun, Seogwipo City, Jeju, in July last year, is showing nearly full booking rates during this period. Kensington Resort Jeju Jungmun in Seogwipo City, Jeju, is also fully booked. Lotte Hotel Jeju and Grand Chosun Jeju have about 85% of their reservations completed. Grand Hyatt Jeju in Jeju City said, "We have completed reservations for 800 to 900 rooms daily during the Children's Day holiday, and inquiries and bookings continue. More than 1,200 rooms were booked in the week before Children's Day, which coincided with Japan's Golden Week and China's Labor Day."
Hotels and resorts in the Seoul area are also focusing on Children's Day events targeting family customers who have turned to nearby staycations. Some have opened outdoor swimming pools in time for the holiday, while others are preparing outdoor parties using spacious grounds in front of the hotels. Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul scheduled the opening of its 'Oasis Outdoor Pool' for the holiday period on June 6. They plan to attract family customers with adult and children's pools, a jacuzzi, and a sand playground for children. Mayfield Hotel, which has a 100,000㎡ site, will offer magic shows and laser hologram shows that guests can enjoy while dining at the kids' menu buffet, as well as unique experiences at a donut shop. Rolling Hills Hotel in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, has prepared packages featuring Super Mario character packs and outdoor plaza magic balloon and bubble performances.
An official from the hotel industry said, "This May, many family customers are planning domestic trips not only for Labor Day and Children's Day but also for Buddha's Birthday and Memorial Day in June, so we are preparing accordingly. We are preparing various indoor and outdoor events that had been restricted in the past, targeting those who want free travel and relaxation after COVID-19."
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