Up to 210,000 Won for Compact Car Rentals in Jeju in Late July and Early August
Major Tourist Destinations Like Gangwon Also Fully Booked
Hotels and Resorts with Water Facilities in High Demand
Fierce Competition for Early October Reservations During Golden Holiday Period
As the peak summer vacation season approaches, competition for reservations at major domestic tourist destinations has intensified. Large-scale discount events are being held by the government and economic organizations to boost domestic demand and encourage travel within the country, resulting in a surge of people trying to secure transportation and accommodations in advance. In Jeju, a region favored by tourists, rental car prices have already risen to about five times their usual rates, and it is nearly impossible to find available rooms at hotels and resorts with seaside or water park facilities.
According to a Jeju rental car price comparison site on July 14, daily rental fees for compact cars?a popular choice among consumers?are set between 115,000 won and 215,000 won for weekends in early August, when summer vacation demand peaks. Compared to mid-July, classified as the semi-peak season, when weekend daily rates for the same car type ranged from 24,000 won to 64,000 won, prices have increased by approximately three to five times. During the same period, daily weekend rental fees for mid-size and small cars have also risen to between 111,000 won and 193,000 won, making them about 2.5 to 4 times more expensive than during the semi-peak season.
An industry insider stated, "A week’s rental fee during the off-season is now equivalent to a single day’s price in the summer peak season," adding, "Even considering the vacation period, prices seem to be about 30% higher than in previous years." Industry sources believe that rumors of a major earthquake in Japan, a destination attracting many outbound travelers, as well as the Japanese yen’s appreciation compared to the same period last year, have led many to opt for domestic vacations instead, which in turn has driven up prices at major tourist destinations.
Reservations for hotels and resorts located in major tourist areas have also been filling up early. Sono Hotels & Resorts, which operates about 12,000 rooms across 20 resorts nationwide, reported that, except for some facilities in Goyang and Jeju, all rooms are fully booked from late July to early August. A company representative said, "Advance reservations were quickly completed for resorts in coastal areas of Gangwon Province such as Sol Beach Yangyang, Samcheok, Jindo, Namhae, as well as Del Pino Goseong and Vivaldi Park."
Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, which owns about 5,000 rooms at 13 locations nationwide including hotels, condos, and golf hotels, also completed its peak season lottery for members at the end of May.
Kensington Hotels & Resorts, operated by E-Land Park, is also nearly fully booked from late July to early August. In Gangwon Province, reservations for Seorak Valley and Seorak Beach are already closed for this period, and booking rates in Jeju and Gyeongsang regions exceed 90%. A company official commented, "Due to the heat arriving earlier than usual, accommodations with water park facilities and related promotions are filling up quickly."
Luxury hotels such as Lotte Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Shilla, and Josun Hotels & Resorts, which operate accommodations in major tourist destinations like Seoul, Busan, and Jeju, are also fully booked for the summer peak season. An industry insider noted, "The traditional summer vacation season is always a period when it is difficult to find available rooms," and added, "This year, with Chuseok and other holidays falling in early October, demand for hotels and resorts during that period has surged early, and some popular tourist accommodations are already fully booked."
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