By Kim Hyun-cheol
Staff Reporter
Park Yoon-jo, a 33-year-old publishing editor, has traveled abroad at least once almost every year. The die-hard globetrotter, however, took a different step this summer.
Last weekend, she went for an overnight package at a hotel in downtown Seoul with a friend.
"High exchange rates and travel expenses make me reluctant to pack my bags for a trip outside Korea," Park said. "Even if I get to go during the rest of the year, it is likely to be a destination not too distant."
Surging oil prices and inflation are changing the trends of local travelers, as they seem to be heading for domestic destinations for their summer vacation rather than going abroad.
Overseas travelers stood at slightly over 1 million in June, down 5.65 percent from a year earlier, the Korean National Tourism Organization (KNTO) said Tuesday.
The figure fell for the second straight month, the first time since an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in China and Southeast Asia in 2003.
``It looks like the number (of overseas travelers) will keep declining for a while due to high oil prices and the economic downturn,'' the KNTO said.
Overseas trip packages are suffering plummeting demand ― Hanatour, one of the leading local travel agencies, saw 98,676 booking as of Tuesday, down 18.5 percent from last year. Reservations for August, traditionally the best month, have also fell by 2.5 percent to 79,153.
In contrast, local holiday destinations are enjoying prosperous days.
Customers have increased by 20 percent compared to last year and virtually no reservations are available for August, said HuePension, a Web site for booking local villa accommodation.
The number of visitors to Jeju Island this year surpassed the 3 million mark on July 9, about half a month earlier than in 2007. Although most travelers to the scenic southern island have to fly there, just like an overseas trip, soaring oil tax is not affecting ticket prices to Jeju as much as to other places.
Hotels are another beneficent of the tendency as some vacationers are turning their attention to overnight package programs, where they can enjoy various facilities in luxurious accommodation.
Customers for the program this month rose by 20 percent year-on-year, the Shilla Hotel said.
Additionally, some people are simply going nowhere.
A recent report by the Korea Transport Institute noted that only 34.5 percent of households have a plan for a summer vacation this year, down 5 percent from last year.