By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff reporter
A record number of Koreans are traveling both domestically and internationally this year in line with improving economic conditions and the strengthening of the Korean won, providing a much-needed boost to provincial airports.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said Wednesday that 12.72 million passengers flew within the country through regional airports from January through April, up 17.4 percent from the same period last year. Only, Incheon International Airport is regarded as Korea’s truly international airport.
The number of travelers heading overseas and returning home through Jeju, Gimhae and other regional airports totaled 2.24 million in the first four months of the year, up 20.4 percent from the previous year.
If the current trend continues for the remaining eight months, the ministry expects more than 50 million individuals to travel through provincial airports this year, up sharply from 41.7 million in 2009 and 40 million in 2008.
“Most regional airports have suffered from chronic deficits over the years, with many Koreans preferring to take a train or drive a car when they travel from one place to another in the country,” a ministry official said. “But more travelers for both business and pleasure take an airplane to local destinations on lower airfares.”
Additionally, provincial airports have attracted more individuals seeking to go overseas as they offer direct international routes to China, Japan and other favorite tourism spots in Asia, the official said.
A strong won against the dollar and the quick economic rebound this year have encouraged more local travelers to head to not only Jeju Island, but also a wide array of foreign destinations, pushing up the number of airport users.
For instance, the number of domestic route passengers at Chungju Airport rose 27.7 percent during the January to April period from the previous year. Travelers going to foreign countries and heading home through the airport soared 75.3 percent as individuals are now able to go to Beijing directly twice a week from the airport. In June, Korean Air plans to add another international route between Chungju and Osaka.
“The government will take a range of measures to revitalize regional airports. They include easing an entry barrier to the air service sector to boost industry competitiveness. We will actively nurture low-cost carriers that can offer air travel services at reasonably low prices,” the ministry said. It also plans to provide air carriers with diverse incentives, including cutting airport usage fees, to encourage them to operate more at provincial airports.