International travel demand is rapidly rebounding following a significant reduction in the July fuel surcharge. With lower airfare costs, travelers are eager to make reservations.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the international fuel surcharge for July has been lowered from 27 tiers to 19 tiers, resulting in a maximum 25% reduction in fuel taxes for specific routes. For instance, the surcharge for flights to Tokyo, Osaka, and Taipei dropped from 84,000 won to 62,400 won, while major routes to New York and Chicago were adjusted from 451,500 won to 344,000 won.
The decrease in fuel surcharges has led to an immediate surge in bookings. Travel platform NOL Universe reported that from July 1 to July 7, international flight bookings increased by 135% compared to the same period last month (June 1-7) and by 137% compared to the previous week (June 24-30). Notably, on the first day of the surcharge reduction, July 1, bookings surged by 170% compared to the previous day (June 30), marking the largest increase.
When examining travel destinations, short-haul routes to Japan and Vietnam saw the most bookings. The top three destinations based on booking numbers were Fukuoka, Tokyo, and Osaka, followed by Da Nang and Nha Trang. However, the concentration on specific countries is gradually dispersing. Japan, which accounted for 53.7% of total international flight bookings in June, saw its share decrease to 43.4% in the first week of July (-10.3%). In contrast, Vietnam's share increased from 14.9% to 17.3%, Thailand from 4.5% to 6.5%, and the U.S. from 2.1% to 3.6%. This shift indicates a growing trend of international travel demand expanding beyond short-haul destinations as the summer vacation season approaches.
In response to the increased demand, travel platforms are actively promoting deals. NOL is offering daily flight discount coupon packs throughout July and will launch various special promotions in collaboration with airlines. Additionally, they are providing discount coupons for popular routes to Japan, China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, along with extra discounts on overseas accommodations.
Modu Tour is running a promotion in partnership with the Guam Visitors Bureau, offering a total of 100 million won in benefits through the 'Modu Tour x Guam Visitors Bureau Summer Vacation Support' campaign. This promotion targets customers booking Guam air-and-hotel packages from July to September, providing an immediate discount of 100,000 won to the first 1,000 customers, applicable to all family members regardless of age, excluding infants.
A tourism industry official stated, "With the reduction in fuel surcharges lowering price burdens and coinciding with the summer vacation season, we expect international travel demand to continue for the time being. The competition among travel platforms for flight tickets and overseas travel promotions is also expected to intensify."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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