Chamjoeun Travel reported a surge in bookings on January 8, following the announcement of the extended Lunar New Year holiday. Over 80 new reservations were made on that day, with a significant uptick in inquiries about travel products for the holiday period.
As the holiday extension encourages more people to consider traveling abroad, even those who hadn’t initially planned overseas trips are now urgently looking for flight tickets. Travel agencies also saw increased booking rates during the temporary holiday breaks for Chuseok in 2023 and National Armed Forces Day in October.
To capitalize on this trend, travel agencies are launching targeted marketing campaigns. Mode Tour, for instance, is offering a promotion titled “2025, Year of Eulsa, Happiness of Lunar New Year Holiday,” which provides discounts of up to 100,000 won for booking leftover seats on flights departing between January 22 and February 1.
On the other hand, the dining industry is facing challenges, particularly in office-heavy areas, as more people opt for overseas travel during the extended holiday. Restaurants in residential areas are also likely to feel the impact. Lee, a 40-year-old cafe owner near Gasan Digital Complex in Seoul, shared, “Sales typically drop by more than half when a holiday is declared, and with this extended holiday, January looks bleak.”
Despite the challenges, there is some optimism about economic revitalization. Im, a 67-year-old pension manager in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, noted, “With the extended holiday, more people will have the opportunity to travel domestically, which could boost local businesses.”
