 |
| Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport is crowded with passengers, June 3. Yonhap |
People flock to airports, shopping malls, theaters
By Lee Hyo-jin
Lee Ha-kyung, a 29-year-old office worker in Seoul, recently booked a flight ticket to Spain scheduled for early July. Due to a recent hike in ticket prices, she had to pay about 2 million won for a round-trip flight, nearly double the price compared to that of pre-COVID-19 levels.
But she said she doesn't regret it.
"Considering that this is my first trip abroad in over two years and I haven't spent much money staying at home during the pandemic, it seems reasonable," she said. "Also, I read in the news that we may see a resurgence of infections this fall, which would bring back the tough distancing measures, so I thought this summer might be the perfect chance to travel across borders."
Lee is one of many Koreans enjoying what's called "revenge spending," which means making up for missed travel and shopping during the pandemic.
Now that almost all social distancing restrictions are lifted, people are flocking to airports, domestic tourist spots, shopping malls and theaters to quench their thirst for travel and leisure activities.
According to Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAP), the number of passengers boarding international flights on Saturday reached 40,833, hitting an all-time high since March 3, 2020. The airport predicted that some 40,009 and 33,316 people will be traveling abroad on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
Daily passenger traffic is expected to further increase toward the summer holiday season, as the government recently announced the easing of antivirus restrictions on inbound travelers.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Friday that beginning June 8, unvaccinated travelers from abroad will no longer have to self-quarantine for seven days.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation, for its part, said measures placed on Incheon International Airport to control the number of inbound flights to prevent the influx of the virus, which have been in place for about two years, will be lifted from June 8, in a bid to cope with surging ticket prices amid soaring demand.
 |
| People buy snacks at a movie theater in Seoul, April 24. Yonhap |
According to data from Statistics Korea, in April, the total amount of online shopping transactions stood at 1.65 trillion won, up 11.9 percent from the same period last year. By category, online purchases for travel and transport surged by 89.9 percent year-on-year.
A Statistics Korea official said the recent removal of social distancing measures have led to nearly a full recovery in sectors such as airlines, transport, rental cars and accommodation.
Experts viewed that the "revenge spending" trend will continue throughout the end of this year, if the virus situation is maintained under control.
"People have been virtually confined to their homes for over two years. They may have been able to fulfill their urge to spend money on goods through online shopping, but it was far from enough. Some studies show that spending money on real-life experiences makes consumers happier than purchasing material goods," said Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer science at Inha University.
She added, "And to make up for the lost time or chances during the pandemic, people are now willing to spend their money on travel and leisure activities such as movies, museums, amusement parks, even more than they did before the onset of the pandemic."
