SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - Low-cost carrier Jeju Air carried more than 1 million foreign passengers during the first five months of this year, driven by demand from Japanese and Chinese travelers amid growing interest in K-pop and Korean culture.
The budget carrier said that out of about 3.59 million passengers on international routes from January to May, about 1.06 million or 29.5 percent were foreigners, up 23 percent from about 860,000 a year earlier.
Japanese passengers were the largest group at around 449,000, making up 42 percent of all foreign travelers. Passengers from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan totaled around 327,000, or 31 percent. Southeast Asian passengers from the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam stood at 130,000 or 12 percent.
The most popular flights were from Incheon to Tokyo, with around 119,000 passengers, followed by those from Incheon to Osaka with around 115,000, and from Busan to Taipei with around 55,000.
Foreign passengers dominated routes to China, with flights from Jeju to Beijing at 97 percent, followed by Incheon to Jiamusi at 93 percent and Incheon to Yanji at 84 percent.
Demand for flights to Mongolia and Southeast Asia also steadily increased, with foreign passengers accounting for 63 percent on flights from Incheon to Ulaanbaatar and 51 percent on flights from Incheon to Manila. Flights from Incheon to Singapore and Incheon to Bangkok were each at 44 percent.
"To tap into surging tourism demand driven by the global popularity of Korean culture, we will work to improve convenience for foreign visitors and strengthen our position as the country's leading low-cost carrier," a Jeju Air spokesman said.
The budget carrier said that out of about 3.59 million passengers on international routes from January to May, about 1.06 million or 29.5 percent were foreigners, up 23 percent from about 860,000 a year earlier.
Japanese passengers were the largest group at around 449,000, making up 42 percent of all foreign travelers. Passengers from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan totaled around 327,000, or 31 percent. Southeast Asian passengers from the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam stood at 130,000 or 12 percent.
The most popular flights were from Incheon to Tokyo, with around 119,000 passengers, followed by those from Incheon to Osaka with around 115,000, and from Busan to Taipei with around 55,000.
Foreign passengers dominated routes to China, with flights from Jeju to Beijing at 97 percent, followed by Incheon to Jiamusi at 93 percent and Incheon to Yanji at 84 percent.
Demand for flights to Mongolia and Southeast Asia also steadily increased, with foreign passengers accounting for 63 percent on flights from Incheon to Ulaanbaatar and 51 percent on flights from Incheon to Manila. Flights from Incheon to Singapore and Incheon to Bangkok were each at 44 percent.
"To tap into surging tourism demand driven by the global popularity of Korean culture, we will work to improve convenience for foreign visitors and strengthen our position as the country's leading low-cost carrier," a Jeju Air spokesman said.
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