Which city will tourists visit the most during the Lunar New Year holiday.Agoda analyzed accommodati..

사진 확대 Tokyo, Japan. /Photo = Unsplash

Which city will tourists visit the most during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Agoda analyzed accommodation search data for major Asian travel destinations ahead of this year’s Lunar New Year holiday.

Seoul is ranked as the fifth most popular tourist destination in Asia. Tokyo took the top spot, followed by Bangkok, Thailand, Taipei, Taiwan, and Osaka, Japan.

사진 확대 Photo = Agoda

In the search results for Korean travelers, Jeju Island showed the highest preference as a domestic destination and Tokyo as an overseas destination.

Seoul was selected as the most preferred destination among foreign tourists who are scheduled to visit Korea during the New Year’s Golden Week. Busan, Jeju Island, Incheon, and Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, were then ranked in the top five.

Among them, Jeju Island recorded the highest growth rate, with a 72% increase in accommodation search volume compared to the previous year. This is attributed to the growing interest in Jeju’s unique culture, including the Haenyeo Museum, due to the popularity of the Netflix series “I was completely deceived” released last year.

Pyeongchang also saw a 40% increase in accommodation searches compared to the previous year. As a result of reflecting interest in the “Pyeongchang Daegwallyeong Snow Festival,” which will be held during the Lunar New Year holiday, various winter activities, including skiing and snowflake sledding, and differentiated contents such as unique ice cafes seem to have attracted the attention of travelers.

사진 확대 Seoul./Photo = Unsplash

Taiwan accounted for the highest proportion of foreign travelers visiting South Korea, followed by Japan and Hong Kong.

The most frequently searched domestic destinations for Korean travelers during the Lunar New Year holiday were Jeju Island, Seoul, Busan, Sokcho, Gangwon Province, and Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. In particular, Gyeongju has more than doubled, with searches up 105% year-on-year.

Japan’s strength was evident in popular overseas destinations for Korean tourists during the Lunar New Year holiday. Japan’s Tokyo, Fukuoka, and Osaka ranked in the top three, and the main background is the continued weakening of the yen and the expansion of routes to Japan.

Lee Joon-hwan, head of Agoda Northeast Asia, said, “As demand for travel is expanding across Asia for the Lunar New Year holiday, interest in domestic travel destinations that offer differentiated experiences such as Jeju Island and Pyeongchang is increasing. Agoda will support travelers’ Lunar New Year trips through a wide range of options in aviation, accommodation, and activities.”