The traditional peak vacation period in late July and early August is being disrupted as more travelers opt to delay their holidays to avoid the summer heat. Demand for travel is now extending into late August and early September. In the foreign tourism market, products less affected by seasonal changes, such as K-beauty and medical services, are supporting summer travel demand.
According to the travel industry on August 19, an analysis of search data for Korean travelers conducted by HotelsCombined and Kayak from August 18 to September 13 revealed a 75% increase in hotel searches compared to the same period last year.
This shift indicates a growing trend of travelers seeking to avoid the peak season, which previously concentrated vacations in late July and early August. HotelsCombined noted that the ongoing heatwave has led to a rise in so-called 'late summer vacations' after the peak summer period.
Travel preferences are also changing. While Japan and China remain popular destinations, there is a noticeable demand for cooler regions.
New Zealand saw the highest increase in hotel search volume, with a sixfold rise compared to last year. As it is winter in New Zealand during August, the tourist city of Queenstown experienced a more than sevenfold increase in hotel searches. Hungary and Canada ranked second and third in search volume growth, respectively.
Conversely, the share of searches for typical summer vacation spots in Southeast Asia has decreased. Vietnam maintained its position as the second most searched destination for flights and hotels, following Japan, but its overall search share dropped by about 4 percentage points for flights and 5 percentage points for hotels compared to last year. The search shares for flights to Thailand and the Philippines also fell by approximately 2 and 3 percentage points, respectively.
Japan continues to show strength, with its share of flight searches increasing by about 16 percentage points and hotel searches by about 5 percentage points compared to last year. China ranked third in both flight and hotel searches, with hotel searches increasing by 57% year-on-year.
Busan's Summer Surge Driven by K-beauty and Medical Tourism
A similar trend is evident in domestic travel among foreigners. According to the inbound travel platform CreateTrip, transactions in Busan in July surged to about 15 times the amount from the same month last year, reaching a record high. Last year, transactions peaked in April and declined through the summer, but this year has seen consistent monthly growth since April.
The growth has been fueled by K-beauty and medical tourism. New dermatology products introduced in Busan through CreateTrip accounted for more than half of the total transactions in the region from January to July. Transactions for medical products, excluding dermatology, such as health check-ups, also increased by about 37 times compared to last year.
Beauty product transactions, including hair, makeup, and nails, rose by approximately 57%, while specialized hair services like scalp care and hair spas saw an increase of about 97%. Busan's tourism, which was previously associated only with summer vacations, is now expanding to include beauty and medical services.
By nationality, Taiwanese tourists made up the largest share, accounting for about 57% of all reservations in Busan through CreateTrip from January to July. Japanese and Hong Kong tourists followed, with the United States also ranking among the top five countries for reservations.
CreateTrip has also expanded its partnerships in Busan, increasing the number of affiliates by about 73% compared to last year. The range of products has broadened to include beauty and medical services, yacht tours, spas, and restaurants. They are collaborating with the Busan Tourism Organization on the '2026 Busan Wellness Medical Tourism Promotion.'
Late August Promotions Targeting Travel Demand
Travel platforms are now focusing on capturing demand for late August. MyRealTrip is launching a 'Last Summer Special' promotion from August 19 to 25.
The promotion will feature tours and tickets for Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Southeast Asia, and China, along with domestic and international accommodation options. Local products such as tours of the Vatican Museums in Rome, Universal Studios in Los Angeles, the Blue Mountains in Sydney, and tours in Osaka and Kyoto will be available, as well as accommodations in Tokyo, Nha Trang, Shanghai, New York, Paris, and London.
Products for destinations like Shanghai, Bohol, Boracay, Jeju, and Matsuyama will be offered at live special prices. Daily early bird discount coupons will also be available during the event.
The continuation of large-scale promotions by travel platforms into late August, typically seen as the end of summer vacation, aligns with the growing demand for late summer travel.
Industry experts believe that as vacation times become more dispersed and the number of travel products less affected by seasonal changes increases, the traditional distinctions between peak and off-peak seasons will gradually evolve. A travel industry representative noted, 'In regions where K-beauty and medical products have become established, the boundaries between peak and off-peak seasons are likely to blur further in the future.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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