Manado, Indonesia [Kyowon Tour]
Manado, Indonesia [Kyowon Tour]

Manado's share of Southeast Asia bookings rises 14 percentage points quarter-on-quarter in Q2

Direct Incheon–Manado flights launched last year improve access

Live-commerce encore broadcast targets demand for new resort destinations

Manado, Indonesia is emerging as a new resort destination in Southeast Asia, driven by the launch of a direct flight from Incheon last year and growing demand from travelers seeking alternatives to established hotspots such as Bali, Phuket and Cebu.

Kyowon Tour said Wednesday that an analysis of booking data from its travel platform Yeojagiji showed Manado accounted for 20 percent of all Southeast Asia bookings in the second quarter of this year, up 14 percentage points quarter-on-quarter.

Manado is a resort city in the northern part of Indonesia's Sulawesi island. The area is known for its natural attractions, including Bunaken Marine National Park, Tangkoko National Park, Lihaga Island and Tunan Waterfall. Travelers can explore coral reefs and marine life through snorkeling and diving, and the destination is marketed for its relatively uncrowded atmosphere.

The launch of a direct flight has been a key driver of the surge in demand. Eastar Jet began operating the Incheon–Manado route exclusively from Oct. 26 last year — the only carrier, domestic or foreign, to fly the route at the time. The airline initially ran four flights a week through Dec. 16 before expanding to daily service from Dec. 17.

Air access is widely regarded in the travel industry as a decisive factor in opening up new destinations. Manado had long required a stopover from Korea, but the direct Incheon service cut travel time to around five hours. Eastar Jet introduced the Manado route as its first service to Indonesia.

Kyowon Tour said interest in Manado was also evident on its live-commerce channel "Easy Time Deal." A live broadcast featuring Manado on June 13 drew strong viewer interest, prompting the company to schedule an encore broadcast on June 28.

Kyowon Tour is also expanding its Manado product lineup. Its flagship offering is a five-day package called "Manado — the Hidden Gem of Southeast Asia," structured with no tips, no optional add-ons and no shopping stops. The package includes a stay at Paradise Hotel Golf & Resort and covers a coral tour within the resort for viewing coral reefs and tropical fish, visits to Tangkoko National Park, Lihaga Island and Tunan Waterfall, and a night fishing excursion.

"Manado has been gaining attention as a new resort destination thanks to the significant improvement in access since the direct flight launched," a Kyowon Tour official said. "We plan to continue targeting travel demand for Manado by highlighting its nature-friendly environment and differentiated marine activities."


hong@heraldcorp.com