--- title: "3 Things Hotels Must Remember to Attract International Travelers" description: "As inbound tourism surges, hotels are wondering how to capture their share. We break down what Asian travelers specifically want—from booking to check-in to loyalty—so you can deliver." published: 2023-12-19T00:00:00+00:00 author: "ONDA 편집팀" category: "Weekly ON" image: "https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65b0b15e3a622e4baa4a8cdd_6580ee4a0535258b743a483f_WeeklyON_vol104_webflow_cover_1200px.png" canonical: https://global.onda.me/en/blog?slug=oegugin-gwangwanggaeg-yucireul-wihae-hoteli-gieoghaeya-hal-3gaji locale: en --- # 3 Things Hotels Must Remember to Attract International Travelers Hi there—Korea's inbound travel market is roaring back. We're on track to hit 10 million international arrivals by year-end. Today's Weekly ON is all about how to win those travelers for your hotel ✈️ ⚠️ All rights reserved. Cite this piece as 'ONDA (온다)' when quoting. --- #### **In This Issue** 🏨 3 Things Hotels Must Remember to Attract International Travelers 💡 Three Rounds of Lodging Sale Festas—Did They Work? ⌨️ #InboundRecovery #2024TravelTrends #ChineseTourists #AirlineOutlook #NextYearTarget --- **🏨 Industry Deep Dive** ### **3 Things Hotels Must Remember** ### **to Attract International Travelers** Global travel is racing back to normal. According to UNWTO, [international tourism reached 87% of pre-pandemic levels](https://www.unwto.org/news/international-tourism-to-end-2023-close-to-90-of-pre-pandemic-levels) by Q3 2023—and should hit 90% by year-end. Inbound travel to Korea is bouncing back just as fast. Through October, [international arrivals recovered to 61% of 2019 levels](https://www.news1.kr/articles/5261992). This year will easily surpass 10 million visitors. As foreign tourists return, hoteliers are asking: *How do we capture them? And how do we deliver an experience they'll love?* **We'll walk through booking, check-in/out, and loyalty—three universal touchpoints—and break down what global travelers (especially Asian ones) actually want.** ### **1. Booking & Payment: Mobile-First** No surprise: most travelers search for hotels online. Globally, 59% search on mobile, 37% on desktop. When it comes to *booking*, OTAs like Booking.com and Expedia dominate—along with metasearch engines like Tripadvisor and Trivago. 62% of global travelers book through OTAs; 43% use metasearch. **Asian travelers skew even harder toward OTAs and metasearch.** 68% book via OTA, 50% via metasearch—the highest rates globally. Interestingly, **North American travelers use hotel direct websites just as much as OTAs.** They value that direct channel. ![](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65d6e82d8bd8cb4aad246385_vol104_1.jpg) Preferred booking and payment channels also differ by region. Mobile dominates globally—but **Asian travelers (66%) prefer mobile checkout far more than the global average (45%).** In the Americas and Europe, over 20% still prefer paying at the property. **In Asia, only 7% want to pay on-site.** They expect digital-first payment flows. Preferred payment methods vary too. Credit cards lead everywhere—but are less dominant in Asia (64%). **Asian travelers strongly favor mobile wallets like Alipay and WeChat Pay (59%).** To deliver seamless booking for Asian guests, **integrating local mobile payment methods is table stakes.** ### **2. Check-In/Out: Digital & Fast** COVID normalized contactless tech. Now 59% of global travelers prefer self-check-in via personal device or kiosk—skipping the front desk line. 13% actively avoid face-to-face interaction with staff. Regional differences are stark. In North America and Europe, 57% and 56% still prefer checking in with a person—higher than the global average. Self-check-in rates are correspondingly lower. ![](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65d6e8473eb9d77344696c84_vol104_2.jpg) **Asia is the opposite.** Face-to-face check-in preference is 10 points *below* the global average. **Asian travelers overwhelmingly prefer digital self-check-in.** For check-*out*, the story converges: everyone wants *speed.* Over half (55%) of global travelers prioritize a fast, queue-free checkout process. **Chinese travelers (63%) care most about zero-wait checkout.** You've delivered a great booking and stay experience. Now—how do you bring them back? What do global and Asian travelers value in hotel loyalty programs? ### [👉 Check out all 3 things international travelers want](https://corp.onda.me/insight-content/3-things-international-travelers-want-in-a-hotel?utm_source=stibee&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-2023_12_19) --- **💡 Hospitality Trends** ### **Three Rounds of** ### **Lodging Sale Festas—Did They Work?** Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization ran lodging discount campaigns three times this year: spring (May–July), Chuseok (Sept–Oct), and fall (Oct–Nov). The result? **~3 million domestic travelers** (including companions) were mobilized. **54% said the discount coupon prompted a spontaneous trip**—evidence of real demand activation. Some even canceled or downsized overseas trips in favor of domestic travel. **68% of bookings were used outside the Seoul metro area**, spreading tourism revenue across regions. ONDA's data also shows **a sharp spike in lodging bookings during campaign periods.** Full analysis coming in the *2023–24 Hospitality Data & Trends Report* (January 2024)—stay tuned. ### [👉 Full story](https://www.newsis.com/view/?id=NISX20231212_0002555000) --- **⌨️ Keyword News** **1️⃣ Inbound Recovery** [👉 [full story]](https://www.traveltimes.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=407082) **TL;DR:** Korea's inbound tourism recovered to 61% of pre-COVID levels **The story:** Through October, ~8.8M foreign visitors arrived—61% of 2019's 14.6M. The U.S. surpassed 2019 (103%), Japan hit 67%. China—once the top source market—is stuck at 31%, with no meaningful uptick even after group tour restrictions lifted in August. **2️⃣ 2024 Travel Trends** [👉 [full story]](https://www.edaily.co.kr/news/read?newsId=01718726635838848&mediaCodeNo=257) **TL;DR:** 2024 trends: personalized, niche travel experiences **The story:** Korea Tourism Organization forecasts 5 trends for 2024: ▲rest-focused travel ▲single-theme trips ▲hidden local spots ▲smart tech-enabled travel ▲accessible-for-all travel. 7 in 10 Koreans now book accommodations, transport, and dining online. Expect more AI-powered personalized travel recommendations. **3️⃣ Chinese Tourist Spending Shifts** [👉 [full story]](https://www.segye.com/newsView/20231217508559) **TL;DR:** Chinese travelers now spend less at duty-free, more on lodging, clinics, and convenience stores **The story:** As Chinese tourism shifts from groups to independent travelers, spending patterns are changing. They're chasing trendy cafés and restaurants featured on social media—traveling like locals. Duty-free spending dropped nearly 50% vs. 2019, while lodging, healthcare, and retail spending rose. **4️⃣ Airline Industry Outlook** [👉 [full story]](https://www.sisajournal.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=278212) **TL;DR:** Global airlines headed for record results in 2024 **The story:** IATA forecasts airlines will carry 4.7B passengers next year—surpassing 2019's 4.5B. Through Nov 2023, Incheon Airport's traffic to the Americas, Japan, and Middle East already exceeded 2019 levels (101%, 109%, 108%). Most other regions hit 60–80% recovery (excluding China). **5️⃣ 2024 Tourism Target** [👉 [full story]](http://www.hotelrestaurant.co.kr/news/article.html?no=12955) **TL;DR:** Government sets 20M inbound visitors target for 2024 **The story:** Korea aims for 20M international arrivals and $24.5B in tourism revenue next year. Plans include: ▲expanded group e-visa fee waivers ▲higher tax refund thresholds ▲year-round mega-events ▲visa policy easing ▲better transport booking & mobile payment systems. ---