"Who Would Go to Japan for a 10-Day Holiday?"... Travel Searches for This Chuseok Destination Surge

Shanghai Travel Searches Surge 240% Year-on-Year
Demand Soars After Visa-Free Entry Policy
Followed by Nagoya, Prague, and Sydney

As the popularity of travel to Japan has waned due to the strong yen and rising prices, China is rapidly emerging as a new alternative destination, buoyed by its visa-free entry policy. In particular, with this year’s Chuseok holiday allowing up to 10 days off by using just one day of annual leave, Shanghai, China has seen the largest surge in travel searches. The increase in demand is attributed to a combination of accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and cultural familiarity.

Shanghai World Financial Center Tourist Hall located in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism

According to Hotels.com Korea on September 1, accommodation searches for the Chuseok holiday began to rise in May, soaring by 145% compared to the previous month (April). Among these, Shanghai saw a 240% year-on-year increase, marking the highest growth rate. This is interpreted as a continued surge in demand following the implementation of the visa-free entry policy for Koreans last year. In fact, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, from January to July this year, 4.7 million passengers traveled from Korea to China, surpassing the annual record of 3.38 million in 2023. Of these, 1,535,583 travelers chose Shanghai as their destination. This means that one out of every four flights from Korea to China is bound for Shanghai.

Following Shanghai, Nagoya in Japan (100%), Prague in the Czech Republic (100%), Sydney in Australia (95%), and Honolulu in Hawaii (50%) ranked among the top destinations. Taipei in Taiwan (45%), Rome in Italy (40%), Sapporo in Japan (40%), Barcelona in Spain (40%), and Lisbon in Portugal (40%) also made it into the top ten, drawing attention as popular Chuseok holiday destinations.

According to analysis by Hotels.com, this year’s Chuseok travel trends include: ▲early bookings, ▲increased demand for long-haul travel, and ▲a preference for premium family accommodations. In fact, hotels accounted for the largest share of all overseas accommodation searches at 64%, followed by ryokans (15%), apartment hotels (14%), and resorts (10%). Searches for five-star accommodations made up 77% of the total, highlighting a strong preference for premium options, while searches using the ‘family-friendly’ filter reached as high as 83%.

A representative from Hotels.com stated, “This Chuseok, travelers have a wider range of options, from nearby Asian cities to long-haul European destinations like Prague and Rome. In particular, Prague and Rome are recommended as they offer both five-star and family-friendly accommodation options at more reasonable prices compared to Paris and London.”