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As Japan resumes visa-free entry for tourists from today, reservations for travel to Japan are already on the rise.
But getting a plane ticket is a problem.
Flights, which have been reduced due to the corona virus, have not yet recovered, so the price of planes is two or three times higher.
Reporter Im Sang-jae visited Incheon International Airport.
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Incheon International Airport departure hall.
Even early in the morning, it is crowded with passengers.
Travelers to Osaka, Japan.
[김봉섭/일본 여행객]
“I’m thinking of going to Osaka Castle and other famous places. I’m very excited. I’m actually happy and I think it’s going to be fun because I’m going with my kids.”
Visa-free entry to Japan, which was suspended due to the corona virus, was reopened after two years and seven months.
Now, people from 68 countries, including South Korea and the US, can freely travel to Japan for 90 days without a visa.
[유지형/일본 여행객]
“I came here because I wanted to visit quickly before there were more people because visa restrictions were lifted, but a lot of people are already here. I decided to go and eat something delicious and go to a ryokan. So I want to warm up quickly.”
The travel industry has been revitalized.
The number of Japanese travel reservations by travel agencies has increased by as much as 18 times compared to a month ago.
Airlines are increasing their number of flights to Japan.
Korean Air doubled the number of flights from Incheon to Narita and Osaka from seven a week, and Asiana Airlines is planning to increase the number of flights from the end of this month.
But I still don’t have much.
Before the outbreak of Corona, Korean Air’s routes to Japan were 194 flights a week, but now it is only a quarter of that number.
Asiana Airlines had 153 flights, and now it’s a fifth.
Airlines are hesitant to add flights quickly, fearing they won’t be able to fill all the passengers.
The price is high because the supply cannot keep up.
Before Corona, the average price of an Incheon-Narita ticket was 185,000 won, but now it is 408,000 won, more than double.
When will flights be restored?
[허율/노랑풍선 홍보팀장]
“Probably in the first and second quarters of next year, it is expected to reach 60% of the pre-pandemic level. Maybe it will recover to 100% by the second half of next year.”
Before the outbreak of Corona, 5.58 million people visited Japan in 2019.
With visa-free entry and the trend of low yen, the demand for travel to Japan is expected to increase rapidly.
This is Im Sang-jae from MBC News.
Video coverage: Choi In-gyu Video editing: Min Kyung-tae
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