“Japan Over Jeju”: Korean Travelers Favor Japan for Lunar New Year Despite Strong Yen
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
During the short Lunar New Year holiday, Japan dominated Korean travel choices: over half (51.6%) of searches on Skyscanner targeted Japan, pushing Jeju to 4th place. Both independent travelers and package tours shifted to Japan, with HanaTour reporting Japan rising from 20% to 38% of holiday bookings while Southeast Asia fell from 52% to 37%. Popular destinations were nearby cities—Fukuoka, Osaka, Tokyo—and winter-focused regions like Kyushu (onsen) and Hokkaido (snow scenery). The surge follows record Korean arrivals to Japan in 2025 (about 9.46 million), and industry observers say reduced Chinese group tours and perceived comfort for Korean visitors helped sustain demand despite the strong yen.
