Skyscanner looked at what Korean travelers plan for 2027
They surveyed 1,000 people. Eighty percent said they plan to travel as much as this year or more. Most also expect to spend the same or more on flights and hotels. The main idea is “Travel, Better Spent.” That means people choose carefully where to put money so the trip feels worth it, instead of only hunting the cheapest price. Skyscanner listed seven trends. These include trips built around buying special local items you can only get in one place, keeping a gym routine while away, watching exchange rates to pick better-value spots, taking breaks from phones, seeking live local music, doing repeat honeymoon-style trips, and visiting places tied to history or culture. For rising destinations among Korean searches, Hakodate in Japan jumped 443 percent. Other strong increases included Luxembourg and Quy Nhon in Vietnam.
Hotels.com released its Unpack ’27 report at an event in Seoul
It used surveys of about 26,000 people worldwide, including 1,000 Koreans, plus its own data. They highlighted five trends. One is short “trip snacking” stays of one night. In Korea, 95 percent of respondents plan these, and 92 percent already took one in the past year. Another is interest in gothic or castle-style hotels. Busan made the top 10 rising destinations after search volume rose 50 percent. People also want adult visits to theme parks to relax, and trips to places they saw in movies or shows. The event was held at L’Escape Seoul Myeongdong, which Hotels.com listed among its top 10 gothic-style hotels.
Lotte Department Store started a new VIP travel program called AvenueL Global Trip
It is only for their higher-level AvenueL members. The trips focus on luxury cruises with the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. The first options include an 8-night Alaska nature trip from Vancouver with glacier and wildlife viewing, a 10-night Japan food trip timed for cherry blossoms, and a Mediterranean culture and art trip. These include business-class flights, good hotels, and one-on-one planning help. Members can book through the Lotte app. The purchase also counts toward their annual spending for membership status, up to 100 million won.
Naver just added a shared stays tab in its hotel search
Airbnb joined as a partner for overseas places. You can search something like “Tokyo stays” and see hotels plus Airbnb options together. You check real-time prices and availability on Naver. Then you go to Airbnb to finish the booking. Only higher-rated overseas listings show up. Domestic Korean homes are not included yet. Airbnb Korea’s manager said they want Korean travelers to find them more easily in everyday searches.
These updates show travel companies adding more booking options and looking at how people plan shorter or more personal trips next year. Korean travelers still want to go, but many check prices and choose stays that fit their style.
https://www.traveltimes.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=500470
https://www.mk.co.kr/news/business/12175291
https://www.skyscanner.co.kr/news/sk-travel-trends-2027-press-release
https://www.discoverynews.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=1104512
