High Costs And Limited Attractions: Why South Koreans Are Choosing International Travel

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

According to a study by nan Federation of Korean Industries, much and much South Koreans now wish to deed nan roadworthy overseas alternatively of nan country. The canvass of 1,000 South Korean adults who person traveled wrong South Korea arsenic good arsenic overseas successful nan past 3 years reveals cardinal trends shaping recreation restitution and selection. The rising costs of visiting section tourer attractions and nan deficiency of unsocial location points of liking person been cited arsenic nan main causes for nan autumn successful locals’ penchant to recreation locally.

According to nan report, South Koreans gave a people of 8.3 retired of 10 to recreation wrong their ain state and a people of 8.7 for recreation abroad. Non-Indian destinations were liked for varied reasons, because of access, services and catering for Indian nutrient and home destinations and product, variety, culture, nosy and unsocial landmarks for world destinations. Such factors are important successful determining nan recreation preferences of South Koreans, including early recreation plans.

Domestic vs. International Travel Satisfaction

The study indicated that nan starring facet that dissatisfied consumers connected home trips was nan precocious fees charged to sojourn well-known section tourer sites. An overwhelming 45.1% of them indicated that nan precocious prices earnestly interfere pinch their pleasance successful home travel. These fees tin incorporated much than conscionable nan costs of lodging, but besides nan costs of admittance to tourer attractions, meals and proscription wrong South Korea’s besides developed tourer cities.

19.0% besides indicated that Korea had nary attractions that were unsocial to nan region, besides serving arsenic a facet to depress tourism acquisition successful Korea. While we still person celebrated cities for illustration Seoul, Busan, and Jeju Island, a batch of South Koreans judge location are little caller and absorbing places to sojourn compared to world sites.

The aforesaid study classed home recreation connected 11 criteria, including value of accommodations and meals, taste and historical sites and section events. Although South Korea scored good successful position of accessibility and disposable amenities which allowed for easy recreation domestically world locations usually did better, offering a assortment of experiences. These consisted of various world festivals, taste events, creation exhibitions, arsenic good arsenic unique earthy landscapes that had appealed to South Korean tourists.

Travel Preferences and Budgets

Nevertheless, they still showed a beardown penchant for home recreation contempt mixed restitution pinch it. Meanwhile, 39% of respondents said they will task to a destination domestically successful 2025, edging retired nan 38.4% of travelers saying they will sojourn an world destination.

There are respective reasons why they person a penchant for walking locally: they consciousness it is simply a cheaper option; it is easier to plan, their recreation is much direct, and they are driving; and they do not look connection barriers. These benefits person rendered location recreation arsenic nan astir charismatic type of recreation for nan group travelling those ways. Even pinch this preference, study results revealed that recreation budgets for home recreation are considerably little compared pinch world travel.

In 2025, South Koreans scheme to walk connected mean €390 per home trip, compared to €1,430 for overseas holidays. Such discrepancy of these budgets tells astir really overmuch South Koreans are fresh to walk nan while travelling to different countries, arsenic usually pinch nan much various options and absorbing sites extracurricular of nan country.

For South Koreans who are making home recreation plans, connected nan different hand, they’re spending connected nan standard of tens of thousands successful US dollars erstwhile making plans to recreation abroad. International recreation person a much wider taste variety, much absorbing ativities and adventures and much doors to research which are what astir of nan recreation thirsty activity fro a much successful extent recreation experience.

The Implications for South Korea’s Tourism Industry

The study findings item nan difficulties confronting South Korea’s home tourism industry. Local tourism is not very competitory pinch world destinations because of precocious costs and a consciousness that location are nary unsocial experiences aliases activities for their regions, nor capable diverseness of destinations to take from.

To flooded obstacles specified arsenic these, home tourism whitethorn person to beryllium fixed nan correct costs information by notable group successful nan tourism sector. This could mean providing reduced complaint offers, incentives aliases packages that make nan costs of visiting section recreation options much attainable for residents. Furthermore, expanding nan proviso of fund hotels, section tours and discounted introduction interest attractions whitethorn democratize home tourism experiences for definite sectors of nan population.

On that note, let’s dream nan South Korean authorities and their tourism authorities see expending efforts to creating unsocial location attractions that tin break up different areas of nan country. Encouraging recreation to little celebrated destinations specified arsenic Gwangju, Daejeon, and metropolis Jeonju, which person much humanities and taste attractions, group say, could besides animate Koreans to look beyond Seoul and Busan.

Developing infrastructure and tourism-related accommodation successful under-explored destinations mightiness lead to a much broad spectrum of recreation products successful South Korea. With its beardown history, beauty of earthy landscapes and increasing liking successful taste heritage, South Korea has nan imaginable to grow its scope to a caller marketplace of home travelers inclined to sojourn non touristy destinations.

A greater accent connected location festivals, section creation displays and agrarian eco-tourism opportunities is simply a perchance savvy attack to create nan Hungarian tourism merchandise astatine home. Especially regions pinch a estimation for accepted arts and crafts and section nutrient tin beryllium of liking to visitors seeking an authentic culture. This tin connection some monetary and prestige gains to societal groups passim South Korea.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Ahead of 2025, Korea’s tourism is astatine a crossroads. Despite nan allure of overseas destinations pinch their divers and lively attractions, South Korea has nan opportunity to rejuvenate its tourer sectors domestically.