Approximately 30,000 people visited the island daily on the weekends this month, and the number is expected to make a record next month.
In addition, travel patterns have changed with travellers enjoying more outdoor activities, staying shorter, and spending less.
Todd Thacker reports.

Report

Next month Jeju Island will mark its busiest time of the year as crowds of vacationers from the mainland arrive in earnest.
The Jeju Tourism Organization recently completed an online survey of 1,000 people who plan to visit Jeju over the summer.


Some 80 percent of respondents said they will visit the island in August.
They cited Jeju’s natural beauty and ease of access compared to international travel destinations as reasons for vacationing here.



Visitors are basing their travel plans largely on COVID-19 conditions.

Most respondents prefer hiking in mountain areas and on volcanic cones called (오름) oreum, or will seek out gourmet experiences while here.
Museums and theme parks are low on the list.



It is expected that visitors will have shorter stays and spend less compared with previous summer holiday seasons.



A similar survey conducted last year showed that most respondents would stay longer than four days on average, but this year that number is down to 3.85 days.
Spending is also expected to drop to around 392,000 won per person this summer, down from 416,000 won last summer.
Of note is a corresponding drop in the average number of people traveling in a group. This year’s projection is 2.99 people per group, when last summer it was 3.52.


As the ongoing pandemic alters traveler behavior, respondents say they will prefer to use private transportation to avoid contact with others.
A whopping 86 percent of respondents plan to use rental cars on Jeju, while less than 10 percent said they would use buses or taxis.

Todd Thacker, KCTV