South Koreans Opt for Japan Getaways Over Ancestral Rites this Lunar New Year: What New Updates You Need to Know

This year, for the Lunar New Year holiday, South Korean travelers are choosing to go to Japan over domestic getaways or family visits. More than half of South Korean flight search queries are for international travel to Japan.

As per flight search engine Skyscanner, for the four-day holiday period, South Korean travelers searching for flights for the Lunar New Year revealed that Japan was the most searched destination (51.6%). Of the Japanese cities, Fukuoka is the most searched (23.3%) along with Osaka (23.2%) and Tokyo (13.7%). This is a huge decrease compared to previous years when travelers searched for flights to South Korea domestic cities such as Jeju, Busan, and Seoul. This year, Jeju is the only South Korea domestic city that appears in the top ten with (11.6%).

There are many reasons for the shift in travel trends among South Koreans, especially the less favourable holiday period. Unlike 2025, which has a government-designated holiday, this year’s holiday falls between February 16 to 18. This year’s holiday caused many to travel abroad to South Korea’s most popular travel destination, Japan, while 2025 will allow for more travel for the purpose of completing ancestral rites.

Japan’s Short-Haul Travel and Ancestor Travel Trends

Japan has increased in popularity for short-haul destinations. This has been noted by travel professionals and is primarily caused by the large number of cities in Japan that cater towards traveling with multiple generations. This makes Japan’s short-haul destinations ideal for travel involving lots of grandparents, children, and parents.

The weak Japanese yen has made travel to Japan more affordable than before. South Korean tourists can visit cities like Osaka, Fukuoka, and Tokyo, which are now more affordable for accommodation and food than they have been in previous years. With Japan’s currency at one of its lowest values, South Korean travellers can buy more with their currency.

Influence of Government-Sanctioned Holidays and Travel Patterns

Travel options for South Koreans have been influenced by the government, particularly in how holidays are structured. Shifts in holiday travel patterns have been seen, moving from internally focused travel to Japan. In family customs, which take place earlier than the holiday, and with the government-prescribed three-day Lunar New Year holiday, families travel to their ancestral homes for the rituals and then to Japan for leisure travel.

As the South Korean media reports, the “airplane instead of the ancestral table” trend showcases the increasing interest in inter-generational travel over family gatherings. This trend has been observed by analysts, resulting in the increasing traction for short-distance international travel for families. Industry trends show high demand for travel to Japan, where families can travel and spend time together.

The Declining Popularity of Jeju as a Domestic Travel Destination

Last year’s surge in domestic travel has highlighted Jeju’s atypical position. Notably, Jeju is the only South Korean destination to be represented in the top 10 holiday travel destinations. Jeju currently represents 11.6% of flight searches, a significant decline from the previous travel trend where Jeju, Busan, and Seoul ranked 1-3, accounting for 57% of all flight search queries. The decline in interest for domestic destinations, combined with the high demand for travel to Japan, showcases the changing cultural practices in South Korean holiday travel.

Traveling for the Holidays: Where South Koreans Are Going This Year

Traveling for the holidays has become more affordable, and as patterns of spending for the holidays change, traveling for the holidays will likely differ as well. South Koreans have begun to travel to Japan more than other eastern tour destinations. Experts believe that as Japan continues to be more affordable and offers a variety of activities for families, it will continue to grab a big chunk of South Koreans traveling for the holidays.

Traveling for the Holidays as a South Korean: What to Expect?

This year, South Korean families will not be following the tradition of paying respect to their ancestors as they have become more influenced by the changing world. Japan has become a preferred travel destination since traveling to Japan has become cheaper with the currency changes and offers many affordable travel opportunities. With changing spending patterns, it can be expected Japan will continue to be a South Korean travel destination for many years to come.

Traveling for the holidays will be here to stay. Traveling with family for the holidays will become a pattern that will be seen for years to come and since the trend of international travel from South Korea to Japan is a slightly new trend, it is a habit that will be expected to be seen for many holidays to come.

The post South Koreans Opt for Japan Getaways Over Ancestral Rites this Lunar New Year: What New Updates You Need to Know appeared first on Travel and Tour World