(Fixes slug, no change in text)
By Hyunjoo Jin, Lisa Barrington and Heekyong Yang
SEOUL (Reuters) -From plastic surgery clinics to travel agencies and hotel chains, South Korea’s hospitality sector is wary of the potential impact of a prolonged political crisis as some foreign travelers cancel trips after the brief period of martial law from last week.
South Korea’s travel and tourism industry, which generated 84.7 trillion won ($59.1 billion) in 2023, about 3.8% of GDP, has held up despite previous bumps in the road, including a presidential impeachment in 2016 and periodic tensions with North Korea.
But more than a dozen hospitality and administrative sources said the military’s involvement in the latest political crisis was a serious development that could deter leisure and business travel as the sector nears a full recovery in visitor numbers, which account for 97% of in previous years. COVID levels as of October.
“There are concerns that security concerns in Seoul would pour cold water on the tourism industry,” Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Wednesday during a meeting with tourism industry officials to discuss the drop in travel demand.
“There are more and more examples of foreign tourists canceling visits to Seoul and shortening their stays,” Oh said, before declaring to the media “Seoul is safe” in English, Chinese and Japanese.
Daily life and tourist activities have continued as usual despite continued large protests since President Yoon Suk Yeol revoked his six-hour martial law on December 4 after parliament rejected it. to cling.
Some tourists have since canceled bookings, although not in large numbers, while others are wondering whether they can withdraw if the situation changes, travel and hospitality sources say.
Accor (EPA:) hotel group, which includes the Fairmont and Sofitel brands, said it has noticed a “slight increase” in cancellations since December 3, about 5% higher than in November.
The Korea Tourism Start-up Association said on Friday that bookings for the first half of 2025 had already seen a sharp decline.
Rooms in previously fully booked hotels in the capital Seoul have become available due to cancellations, with some hotels “even lowering their rates and offering special deals to attract more bookings”, said an incoming travel agent who asked not to be named due to sensitivity named. of the case.
A plastic surgery clinic in Seoul’s upscale Gangnam district also said some foreign patients had canceled their visits since the martial law incident.
“We are not worried now, but if this situation continues, it would affect foreign visitors,” said a representative of the clinic, who asked not to be named.
South Korea is a top global destination for medical and plastic surgery tourism.
SOFT POWER
The latest political crisis also threatens to deal a major blow to the country’s brand, which has been boosted by Korean culture and economic success, said Kim Wou-kyung, head of a government brand promotion agency.
The explosion in global fame of South Korean drama, music and beauty, known as the ‘Korean Wave’, plus a reputation for safety and global brands such as Samsung (KS:), are important forms of soft power that the government used to grow tourism figures.
South Korea hopes to nearly double the number of annual tourists from 2019 levels to 30 million by 2027.
Part of the strategy is also to focus on corporate group travel for events including conferences and exhibitions, a sector known as MICE tourism that could be impacted if the political crisis continues early next year, said Ha Hong- Kook, Secretary General of Korean MICE Association.
Parliament plans to vote on a motion to impeach Yoon on Saturday, a week after the first impeachment vote was rejected.
“If we get through this immediate, unprecedented period and find a clear path to another election, then I think the impact will actually not be that bad,” said Andrew Gilholm, director of risk consultancy Control Risks Group.
He said the country’s long-term reputation “may even be improved” by showing how the country can get through its challenges.
Su Shu, founder of the Chinese company Moment Travel in Chengdu, is also optimistic about the demand for travel to South Korea.
“Wherever there is chaos, there will be people who dare not go,” Su said.
China is the largest source of foreign visitors to South Korea, followed by Japan and the US
($1 = 1,433,0700 won)
