A night view of Shinjuku, Tokyo [Provided by JNTO]
A night view of Shinjuku, Tokyo [Provided by JNTO]

A short Chuseok holiday combined with a high exchange rate and elevated prices has pushed overseas travel demand sharply toward nearby destinations this year.

Kyowon Tour's travel platform Yeohaengiji analyzed booking data for the Chuseok holiday period from Sept. 23 to Sept. 27, finding structural shifts: a concentration of demand at short-haul destinations, a retreat in the Southeast Asian market and sustained preference for Europe.

A four-day holiday window, a weak won, high prices and steep fuel surcharges together drove travelers en masse toward short-haul routes.

Japan led all destinations with 32.8 percent of total bookings, buoyed by repeat visitors, expanded flight routes, stronger product offerings in smaller cities and the relative affordability that a weak yen has made possible. Bookings for smaller cities — Takamatsu, Matsuyama, Wakayama and Tsushima — accounted for a notably high share, signaling a shift in Japan travel demand away from major urban centers.

China ranked second at 25.4 percent, with scenic-area products centered on destinations such as the Taihang Mountains, Baekdu Mountain and Zhangjiajie making up 72.9 percent of all China bookings — reflecting strong preference among middle-aged and older customers for that type of itinerary.

Amid the dominance of short-haul destinations at the top of the rankings, Nordic Europe (8.8 percent), Western Europe (7.2 percent) and Southern Europe (4.5 percent) placed third through fifth, respectively, driven by travelers who plan to extend the holiday with annual leave to make long-haul trips worthwhile.

Southeast Asia, by contrast, posted a sharp decline despite historically being a reliable holiday draw. Both Vietnam and Thailand fell out of the top five. The drop reflects a combination of factors: itineraries in the region typically run five days or more, making the short holiday a poor fit, while rising local prices have added to the cost burden.

Kyowon Tour said it is responding to these market trends by launching confirmed-departure Chuseok products with competitive pricing. Featured offerings include a four-day Taiwan tour combining culinary experiences and a nine-day Eastern European cultural tour on Asiana Airlines direct flights.

"The short holiday and the pressures of a high exchange rate and elevated prices are driving stronger preference for nearby destinations that offer short travel distances and competitive pricing," a Kyowon Tour official said. "We will provide customers planning holiday travel with a wide range of options through our Chuseok departure products."


terry@heraldcorp.com