S.Korean's interest in Japan travel surpasses pre-No Japan levels

A survey result indicates an increased interest in travel to Japan compared to pre-No Japan boycott levels, while interest in travel to China has plummeted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Korea's consumer research company Consumer Insight revealed these trends in overseas travel interest on Wednesday, after surveying about 3,000 consumers about their travel behavior and plans for the first quarter of this year. 

The level of interest in overseas travel was assessed by aggregating responses to the statements 'my desire to visit the travel destination has increased significantly' and 'it has increased slightly.' A higher combined score suggests a higher degree of interest.

According to the survey, the most appealing overseas travel destination in the first quarter of this year was the South Pacific, garnering 51% interest. Europe followed at 45%, then the US and Canada at 43%, Southeast Asia at 40%, and Japan at 40%. Most of these regions have regained interest levels comparable to pre-pandemic figures from the first quarter of 2019.

In particular, Japan experienced the most significant rise in interest, registering a nine-percentage-point increase compared to the first quarter of 2019, which stood at 31%. This trend appears to reverse the nationwide No Japan boycott, which was triggered by Japan's unilateral export restrictions in July 2019. 

Interest in traveling to China and other Chinese-speaking regions has declined and has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. Interest in destinations such as Hong Kong and Macao amounted to only 22%, roughly two-thirds of the level in the first quarter of 2019. Similarly, interest in travel to mainland China remained stagnant at a third of its previous level, registering a meager 6%.

Write to Mi-Kyoung Lee at capital@hankyung.com