Travel Surges During June Golden Holiday
Domestic Trips Preferred Over Overseas Amid Economic Downturn
After a period of concern sparked by various controversies and a decline in domestic tourists, Jeju Island appears to be regaining its vitality.
Tourists visiting Hamdeok Beach in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City, are enjoying the atmosphere of the spring sea. Photo by Yonhap News
According to industry sources on June 7, tickets for the Gimpo-Jeju route on full-service carriers (FSCs) sold out during this golden holiday period, and almost all seats on low-cost carriers (LCCs) were also sold, except for a few. Despite a surge in demand for overseas travel that had been suppressed by COVID-19, and despite a series of controversies that had led domestic tourists to avoid Jeju, the island showed renewed vibrancy during the May holiday and again during the June holiday. Analysts noted that, amid high inflation and an economic downturn, more people chose domestic travel, which is relatively less burdensome than traveling abroad.
Previously, according to the travel industry, a perception that Jeju offered poor value for money due to high prices had spread, leading to a continued decline in domestic tourist numbers and a sense of crisis in Jeju’s tourism sector. Over the past three years, the number of domestic tourists visiting Jeju decreased each year: 13,803,058 in 2022, 12,661,179 in 2023 (down 8.3% year-on-year), and 11,861,654 in 2024 (down 6.3%). From January to April this year, about 3.32 million people visited Jeju, a decrease of 13.7% compared to 3.85 million during the same period last year.
Fortunately, the number of tourists recently rebounded thanks to the golden holiday in early May. On April 30, the daily number of domestic tourists to Jeju increased by 5.3% compared to the previous year, and this upward trend continued on May 1 (up 6.9%) and May 2 (up 18.8%).
The airline industry attributed the increase in travel demand to the popularity of the Netflix drama "Poksak Sogasuda," which is set in Jeju. The show has brought renewed attention to Jeju’s scenery and culture, and major filming locations such as Gimnyeong Beach, Jejumok Gwana, and Seongsan Ilchulbong have become so-called "pilgrimage" spots for fans. In addition, the strong yen has made travel to Japan?previously considered an alternative to Jeju?more expensive, and major Japanese tourist destinations have significantly raised accommodation taxes and entrance fees to tourist sites in an effort to reduce the negative effects of overtourism. These factors have also contributed to the recovery of Jeju’s tourism sector.
Meanwhile, there have been incidents such as the "overpricing controversy" at the Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival, where stir-fried sundae with six pieces of sundae was sold for 25,000 won, and reports that ordering samgyeopsal in Jeju resulted in plates filled mostly with fat. In response to these ongoing controversies, a public-private consultative body was formed to create "high-value Jeju tourism," and efforts have begun to improve the prices of major dining items?such as cutlassfish, kimchi stew, and samgyeopsal?which are considered more expensive than the national average.
To maintain this upward trend, Jeju decided on the opening period and hours for this year’s beach season, as well as the prices of convenience items, at the "2025 First Half Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Beach Council Meeting." Rental fees for the 12 beaches in the province were standardized at 20,000 won for a parasol and 30,000 won for a beach mat. In addition, a program that allows customers to earn Naver Pay points at 245 food establishments designated as "Good Price" businesses was extended from a temporary operation in May to the end of the year. Authorities explained that the extension was aimed at stabilizing local prices.
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