Fewer South Koreans are booking trips to Japan as the yen rises above 1,000 won.
According to Kyowon Tour on April 10, South Korean bookings for Japan during this year’s May holiday period have dropped 45% compared to the same time last year.
Japan has also slipped in the travel rankings, falling from third to fifth place. For trips departing between May 1 and 6, 18.7% of Korean travelers booked Vietnam, followed by Europe (17.2%), Thailand (14.4%), China (11.7%), and Japan (9.3%). Last year, Japan ranked third with 13.1% of bookings, behind Vietnam (24.4%) and Europe (15.5%), but ahead of Thailand (12.2%) and the Philippines (5.7%).
Japan had enjoyed a tourism boom from South Korea over the past two years, fueled by a weak yen that hovered between 850 and 910 won. A record 8.82 million South Koreans visited the country last year.
But as the yen strengthens, demand is cooling. The currency rose to 970 won in February and surpassed the 1,000-won mark on April 4. According to the Ministry of Justice, 815,231 Koreans traveled to Japan in February, down 12.9% from 935,815 in January.
