---
title: "[New Year Special] 2024 Travel Trends by Global OTAs"
description: "In 2023, the travel industry didn't just recover to pre-pandemic levels — in some areas, it actually surpassed them. What travel demand will drive sustained growth in 2024? We've added a spoonful of ONDA's insights to forecasts from Booking.com, Skyscanner, and Expedia."
published: 2024-01-02T00:00:00+00:00
author: "ONDA 편집팀"
category: "Weekly ON"
image: "https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/65b0b15e1ee646f218480bf3_6593b051c1557ae9442988a2_WeeklyON_vol105_webflow_cover_1200px.png"
canonical: https://global.onda.me/en/blog?slug=sinnyeonteugjib-2024-yeohaeng-teurendeu-by-geulrobeol-ota
locale: en
---
# [New Year Special] 2024 Travel Trends by Global OTAs

Hello subscribers, and welcome to the first Weekly ON of 2024. Last year, the travel industry sprinted hard toward pre-pandemic recovery. Now forecasters everywhere are predicting full normalization in 2024.

This year, Weekly ON will continue delivering useful hotel and accommodation trends and hospitality insights to your inbox every Tuesday 🌅

⚠️ All rights reserved. Cite this piece as 'ONDA (온다)' when quoting.

---

#### **In This Issue**

🏨 Top 2024 travel trends all three global OTA giants agree on

💡 How Chinese inbound tourism to Korea has changed post-pandemic

⌨️ #HotelEmploymentPermitSystem #UnlicensedLodgingWhistleblowers #2023DomesticTravel #AviationDemandNormalization #Top100Destinations

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**🏨 Industry News**

### **What the Big 3 Global OTAs**

### **All Agree On for 2024 Travel Trends**

In 2023, travel didn't just 'recover' to pre-COVID levels — in some segments, it actually grew beyond the pre-pandemic baseline. Global OTAs posted record-breaking earnings. In Korea, long-suppressed overseas travel demand exploded, with [Japan trips surpassing pre-pandemic volumes](https://www.traveltimes.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=407082).

What's next? According to [Research And Market](https://www.researchandmarkets.com/report/online-travel?utm_source=GNE&utm_medium=PressRelease&utm_code=t8rmkc&utm_campaign=1920372+-+Global+Online+Travel+Market+Forecast+2024-2030%3a+Analytics+for+Services%2c+Payment+Modes%2c+Genders%2c+Booking+Devices%2c+and+Countries+with+Key+Player+Insights&utm_exec=joca220prd), the online travel market will grow an average of 13% annually through 2030 — a far brighter outlook than most other sectors.

In Korea, 2024 is expected to bring continued growth driven by expanding inbound tourism and increasing travel diversity. So which types of demand will fuel sustained industry expansion?

Here's what Booking.com, Skyscanner, and Expedia predict — with a spoonful of ONDA insights added in.

### **'Travel is the best gift I can give myself'**

Booking.com framed it as "Travel's hero is me! An opportunity to reinvent ourselves." They also found that 42% of Korean travelers plan to take shorter trips to enjoy more luxurious experiences closer to home.

Skyscanner reported that 22% of Korean travelers (and 38% of Americans) plan to upgrade to business or first class in 2024.

Even as 2024 carries the weight of 2023's slow growth and high inflation, our lives still need an 'escape zone.' **While many are cutting back on everyday spending, they're willing to loosen the purse strings on travel** — it's a gift they give themselves.

That's why **'small luxury travel' — affordable splurges within reach — is gaining traction.**

### **Global content = global travel**

Before Netflix and Disney+, the only globally synchronized content was the World Cup, the Olympics, or Hollywood blockbusters in theaters worldwide.

Now, Korean dramas on streaming platforms can captivate global audiences at the same time. That's expanding 'screen tourism' and 'pilgrimage travel' beyond niche Japanese tourists visiting *Winter Sonata* filming locations to **mainstream global phenomenon.**

Expedia found that **Korean travelers are especially influenced by TV shows and OTT exclusives over Facebook or TikTok when choosing destinations.**

81% of Korean travelers (vs. 50%+ globally) have searched or booked a destination they saw in a TV show or movie.

### **Travel is food**

**'Delicious food' remains one of the strongest travel motivators.** Booking.com reports that 79% of Korean travelers (81% globally) want to experience famous local traditional dishes, with many also interested in the origins and culture behind the food.

Skyscanner goes further: **41% of Korean travelers (47% of Americans) have chosen and booked a destination simply because there was a specific restaurant they wanted to visit.**

### **The importance of rest**

Ever heard of 'no-alcohol travel'? Personally, I still think "one drink" when I travel. But according to Expedia, **76% of Korean travelers (40%+ globally) plan to take a detox trip in 2024.** They cited health (27%) as the main reason for cutting back on alcohol, and noted higher moderation on family vacations (24%).

Another rising keyword: 'sleep well travel.' **Healthy travel and restorative rest are becoming top priorities.**

We've just covered four major travel trends — ▲small luxury ▲content pilgrimage tourism ▲food ▲rest — based on insights from global OTAs.

You can explore additional keywords from each platform below.

### [👉<Check out 2024 travel trends from global OTAs>](https://corp.onda.me/insight-content/2024-travel-trends-by-global-otas?utm_source=stibee&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-2024_01_02)

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**💡 Hospitality Trends**

### **How Chinese Inbound Tourism**

### **to Korea Has Changed Post-Pandemic**

In 2023, about 2 million Chinese tourists visited Korea — far below the 6 million in 2019, but an 8x increase from 2022. Chinese inbound tourism rebounded sharply in the second half of 2023. But how has it changed since pre-COVID?

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, Chinese visitors to Korea are now **recovering fastest among women, Gen Z and Millennials, and individual travelers.** In 2023, 61.2% of Chinese visitors were women, and 57.9% were in their 20s and 30s.

Average group size dropped from 5.1 in 2019 to 2.1 in 2023, signaling a **preference for small-scale independent travel.** Average length of stay also increased from 7.2 days to 9.1 days over the same period.

**Duty-free and department store shopping declined, while spending on lodging, dining, medical services, and culture/entertainment rose.** Spending on culture and entertainment in particular increased fourfold compared to 2019.

Chinese outbound travel is expected to fully recover in 2024. With **Chinese tourists increasingly gathering travel info from social media and video platforms**, multi-channel marketing will be essential.

Read more below:

### [👉<Full story>](https://www.newsis.com/view/?id=NISX20231227_0002571859)

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**⌨️ Keyword News**

1️⃣ **Hotel Employment Permit System** [👉\[full story\]](https://www.hankyung.com/article/202312299808i)

**TL;DR:** Hotels and condos can now hire foreign workers on E-9 visas

**The story:** Foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (E-9 visa) will now be allowed in hotels and condominiums. A pilot rollout starts in Seoul, Busan, Gangwon-do, and Jeju, with applications opening as early as April.

**Which roles?** Housekeeping and kitchen assistant positions. Hotels and condos — plus contracted cleaning companies and in-house restaurants — will be eligible to hire foreign workers.

2️⃣ **2023 Domestic Travel** [👉\[full story\]](https://www.sedaily.com/NewsView/29YOAF3EAW)

**TL;DR:** Korean domestic travel peaked in August and October 2023

**The story:** According to Trip.com data, Korean domestic travel surged during August vacation season and the October Chuseok and Hangeul Day holidays.

**Top destinations?** The top 10 were Seoul, Jeju, Seogwipo, Busan, Incheon, Gangneung, Sokcho, Yeosu, Daegu, and Gyeongju. Seoul had the most overnight guests.

**3️⃣ Unlicensed Lodging Whistleblowers** [👉\[full story\]](https://news.kmib.co.kr/article/view.asp?arcid=0019007375)

**TL;DR:** Jeju proposes reward system for reporting illegal lodging operators

**The story:** Jeju has asked the Ministry of Health and Welfare to introduce a 'lodging paparazzi' whistleblower reward program. Illegal unregistered lodging operations are on the rise, with 400–600 cases cracked down annually in the region.

**Jeju lodging stock?** Jeju now has 7,211 lodging properties, up 39.2% over five years. Farm and fishing village guesthouses — easy market entry — jumped 48.2% to 5,731 properties.

**4️⃣ Aviation Demand Normalization** [👉\[full story\]](https://www.ttlnews.com/article/travel_report/15169)

**TL;DR:** 2023 Incheon Airport passenger traffic at 79% of pre-COVID levels

**The story:** Incheon International Airport projected 2023 passenger traffic at 79% of 2019 levels. Thanks to recovery in Japan and Southeast Asia routes, 2023 saw 56 million passengers — up over 200% from 2022.

**Outlook?** The airport forecasts 96–101% recovery in 2024, approaching full pre-pandemic demand.

**5️⃣ Top 100 Destinations** [👉\[full story\]](https://www.fnnews.com/news/202312251554085806)

**TL;DR:** Seoul ranks 14th, Busan 60th in global top 100 destinations

**The story:** In Euromonitor's world's top 100 destinations, Seoul ranked 14th and Busan 60th. Seven of the top 10 were European cities. Non-European cities in the top 10: Dubai, Tokyo, and New York.

**Asia?** Asian cities in the top 20: Tokyo (4th), Singapore (11th), Seoul (14th), Osaka (16th), Hong Kong (17th) — showcasing Asia's strong momentum.

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