Many Koreans are choosing not to gather for family reunions during the Lunar New Year’s holiday. Instead, many are choosing to vacation on Jeju Island.
While booking rates for hotels and flights are surging, local quarantine authorities are on high alert.
Mike Laidman reports.
Report
The booking rates for accommodations and flights over the coming Lunar New Year holiday are on the rise.
Unlike other holidays during more typical times they haven’t reached 100 percent, but given the situation, the booking rates are quite high.
Five-star hotels are currently limited by Jeju Province to only operate at two-thirds capacity.
And with their reservation rates reaching 65 percent, they are, for all intents and purposes, fully booked.
Reservation rates for flights connecting Jeju to other regions are at between 70 and 80 percent capacity for the first few days of the holiday.
Reservation rates at local golf courses, which have already been enjoying high numbers during the pandemic, have exceeded 80 percent over the holiday.
If the number of new COVID cases maintains its current downward trend, rental car booking rates are expected to rise, too.
The quarantine authorities cannot for a moment relax their vigilance amid the rising hotel and flight booking rates.
The expected influx of tourists to the island over the holiday weekend is, unsurprisingly, making the province uneasy, given that it has managed to keep cases somewhat low.
Tighter quarantine measures will be needed in order to maintain this trend.
Jeju Province is planning to test all employees of local businesses that serve tourists after the Lunar New Year holiday weekend has ended.
Mike Laidman, KCTV