Fears over travel to Cambodia, dubbed “Cambodia phobia” by South Korean media, following a series of scam scandals in the Southeast Asian country, have driven Korea-Japan airfares to double as the region loses its appeal as a winter holiday destination.
A round-trip economy ticket from Gimpo, Seoul to Haneda, Tokyo is now priced at around 700,000 won ($480), more than double the 300,000 won three months before, according to The Naver Flight, an air ticket platform.
The lowest-priced round-trip fare from Seoul to Tokyo for departure in late November stood at 632,200 won on Monday, nearly double the 345,100 won recorded in early August.
Tickets on full-service carriers such as Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. easily exceed 700,000 won, depending on the departure time.
Airfares to Tokyo, which plunged to around 100,000 won in July amid rumors of a major earthquake in Japan, have since rebounded and continue to climb.
The Incheon-Narita route, a more affordable alternative to Seoul-Tokyo flights, has jumped to the 400,000 won range from 200,000 won over the same period.
(Source: The Naver Flight)
Fares to Osaka, the most popular destination for South Koreans, have risen more sharply than those to Tokyo, climbing to 431,300 won from 185,602 won over the same period, marking a 130% increase.
Demand for China has also picked up, boosted by the visa waiver for Koreans introduced in late 2024.
Fares for the Incheon-Pudong route are up more than 60% to 333,100 won from 204,488 won.
HEAVY DISCOUNTS
By contrast, Thailand and the Philippines have been hit hard by the fallout of the Cambodia scam scandal.
A surge in employment scams and kidnapping cases targeting South Koreans in Cambodia culminated in the death of a South Korean college student in August.
In October, Seoul imposed its highest-level travel ban on parts of the country.
“After the Cambodia incidents, bookings to nearby destinations like Thailand and Laos dropped sharply,” said an executive at a Seoul-based travel agency. “Airlines are now offering heavy discounts to Southeast Asia just to fill seats.”
Flights from Seoul to Bangkok have slipped to 270,000 won from 330,000 won over the past three months.
Tickets to Cebu, which topped 400,000 won two months ago, plunged to 160,000 won last week before rebounding to 300,000 this week.
Vientiane, Laos, has also seen prices drop to 390,000 won from 440,000 won in just a month.
Illustrations depicting iconic scenes of Vietnam and the country map (Courtesy of Getty Images)
VIETNAM SHINES
One notable exception is Vietnam, where demand remains robust.
Airfares to Hanoi have nearly doubled over the past three months, climbing to 550,000 won from 280,000 won. Prices for Nha Trang jumped to 490,000 won from 290,000 won.
During last month’s extended national holiday, package bookings to Hanoi increased year-on-year, while reservations for Thailand and the Philippines fell by around 10%, according to Korean travel industry sources.
Travel industry officials expect demand to remain concentrated in destinations such as Japan and Vietnam for the time being.
AloJapan.com