SEOUL, December 24 (AJP) - Nearly half of South Korean travelers prioritize price when selecting travel booking platforms, with 47.9 percent citing cost as their top consideration, according to a survey conducted by the Korea Consumer Agency.
The survey, which analyzed responses from 1,600 users across four major booking platforms, highlights the growing importance of affordability in travel decisions.
The findings also revealed significant consumer dissatisfaction. Fourteen percent of respondents reported complaints or damages, with unresponsive customer service cited as the most common issue at 28.1 percent. Overbooking-related cancellations followed at 21.4 percent, while refund delays accounted for 20.5 percent of grievances.
Overall, the platforms received an average satisfaction score of 3.68 out of 5. Core services scored slightly higher at 3.83 points, while customer service and emotional experience lagged at 3.67 and 3.53 points, respectively. Among local platforms, Yeogi Eottae emerged as the leader with a score of 3.80, followed by Yanolja at 3.72.
The survey also provided insights into travel spending patterns. Average per-person expenditure on booking platforms totaled 161,000 won ($123) for domestic trips and 635,000 won ($486) for international travel, excluding costs for shopping and dining.
In response to the findings, the Korea Consumer Agency recommended improvements in customer service accessibility and greater transparency in pricing and fee structures, urging platforms to address areas where consumer dissatisfaction persists.
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