--- title: "Are Peak Travel Seasons Disappearing?" description: "Ever heard of 'no-normal' travel? In Korea, this trend—traveling off-season based on personal interests—is gaining serious momentum. How are customer travel patterns shifting in the no-normal era?" published: 2024-04-23T00:00:00+00:00 author: "ONDA 편집팀" category: "Weekly ON" image: "https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/66271fa5a4d00665252628ad_WeeklyON_vol120_webflow_cover_1200px.png" canonical: https://global.onda.me/en/blog?slug=vol-120 locale: en --- # Are Peak Travel Seasons Disappearing? Hi there — ever heard of "no-normal" travel? Expedia coined the term when forecasting 2023 travel trends. In Korea, it's evolving into something specific: **traveling off-season, chasing personal interests instead of crowds.** How are customer travel patterns shifting in this no-normal era? ⚠️ All rights reserved. Cite this piece as 'ONDA (온다)' when quoting. --- #### **In This Issue** **🏠** Peak season is fading — welcome to the no-normal travel era 💡 Overtourism: How are countries responding? ⌨️ #SecondHomePolicy #OverseasTravelPlatforms #JejuMayBoom #ForeignWorkerHiring #HotelInvestment --- **🏨 Industry Deep Dive** ### **Peak Season Is Fading —** ### **Welcome to the No-Normal Travel Era** There used to be a saying in hospitality: "You earn your whole year in one peak season." The revenue gap between peak and off-peak was *that* dramatic. Today, the gap still exists — but it's narrowing. Fast. The keyword for this shift? **"No-normal."** Expedia popularized it in their 2023 travel trend forecast. Travelers are ditching the old playbook: they're seeking lesser-known destinations, cultural trips, wellness tourism, outdoor adventures. They're booking accommodations with kitchens to cut costs. In Korea, major hotels are hosting [special brand collaboration pop-ups during the low season](https://sports.chosun.com/life/2023-03-15/202303160100119310014296?t=n1). Travelers are deliberately avoiding peak periods at famous destinations to enjoy quieter experiences. **In Korea specifically, the no-normal trend is accelerating as "off-season travel driven by personal taste."** Let's look at data from the [Korea Tourism Data Lab](https://datalab.visitkorea.or.kr/site/portal/ex/bbs/View.do?cbIdx=1603&cbIdx2=1129&bcIdx=307181&pageIndex=1&tgtTypeCd=&searchKey=&searchKey1=&searchKey2=&searchKey3=&tabFlag=N&subFlag=N&cateCont=tlt01), released on the 17th: ![Source: Korea Tourism Data Lab, Reprocessed by ONDA](https://zqcfqfqgiyckyhazcfrk.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/webflow/6316f3f75130788ec2d762dd/662479a0499a1c6e3fc698f8_14-20240420-013828.jpg) The yellow line is 2019 domestic tourist traffic. Blue is 2023. In 2019, tourists flooded in during the traditional peak season of July–August — clear as day. **Last year? The curve flattened. Demand is spreading across the calendar.** We see the same pattern in ONDA's data. In the no-normal era, how are customer travel behaviors evolving? And what sales strategies should you deploy in peak vs. off-peak periods? ### [👉 **Read the full story: Peak Season Is Fading — Welcome to the No-Normal Travel Era**](https://www.onda.me/blog/no-normal-travel-trend?utm_source=stibee&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-2024_04_23) --- **💡 Hospitality Trends** ### **Overtourism:** ### **How Are Countries Responding?** Post-pandemic, international travel surged back — and **famous destinations are buckling under overtourism.** Excessive visitor volume is driving up prices, damaging environments, and creating housing shortages. How are major tourist cities fighting back? **Amsterdam** — which draws over 20 million visitors a year — has stopped issuing new hotel licenses. New hotels can only be built when existing ones close. The goal: cap annual hotel nights at 20 million. **Venice** starts limiting group sizes to 25 people this June. During peak months (April–July), day-trippers will pay a €5 (~₩7,000) entry fee. **Tourism taxes are spreading.** Japan, especially, is debating them heavily. Osaka announced plans to introduce fees for foreign tourists last month. Tokyo is discussing raising its accommodation tax. In Korea, Jeju is weighing an "environmental preservation levy." Experts urge caution, though. **Hasty tourism restrictions can backfire.** Tourism generates massive economic value and employment. Without a replacement industry, restrictions can crater local economies. More details below. ### [👉 **Read the full story**](https://www.chosun.com/international/international_general/2024/04/19/56YBLD7ROJBNPPEGN4WNUAKB2I/) --- **⌨️ Keyword News** 1️⃣ **Second Home Policy** [👉 [full story]](https://www.segye.com/newsView/20240415527081) **TL;DR:** Government pushes "second home" policy to fight regional depopulation **The story:** The government announced criteria for its "second home activation" policy. Single-homeowners can now buy a second home in depopulating regions — properties under ₩400M in public value qualify for single-household tax benefits. **What's next?** Currently 89 cities/counties/districts are designated as depopulating regions. In popular tourist areas, this policy — combined with home-sharing legalization — will likely boost Airbnb-style short-term rentals. 2️⃣ **Overseas Travel Platforms** [👉 [full story]](https://www.dt.co.kr/contents.html?article_no=2024041702109931078010) **TL;DR:** Overseas travel platform spending exceeds pre-COVID levels **The story:** Monthly active users and payment volumes on online overseas travel platforms have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Interest in international travel is driving up usage across all age groups. **The platforms:** Highest average spending per user: Expedia, Airbnb, Trip.com, Booking.com, Agoda — all foreign OTAs dominating the top spots. **3️⃣ Jeju's May Boom** [👉 [full story]](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/society/10991894) **TL;DR:** Jeju foreign tourist arrivals top 100K for 3 months straight **The story:** Korea's Golden Week in May + China's May Day holiday (May 1–5) are fueling high expectations in Jeju's tourism sector. Expanded cruise routes and flights have hotels and resorts reporting strong booking rates. **What's next?** Hopes are high for Chinese group tour resumptions. In Jan–Feb this year, ~180K Chinese visitors came to Jeju — 83% of all foreign tourists. **4️⃣ Foreign Worker Applications** [👉 [full story]](https://www.seoul.co.kr/news/economy/2024/04/22/20240422008002) **TL;DR:** Hotels and condos can now apply to hire E-9 foreign workers **The story:** As of the 22nd, hotels and condos can apply for permits to hire non-professional (E-9 visa) foreign workers. Four regions — Seoul, Busan, Gangwon, Jeju — can hire building cleaners and kitchen assistants. **The industry says:** Only hotels that directly employ workers or sign 1:1 exclusive contracts with vendors qualify. Most hotels use multiple vendors, making direct hiring impractical. **5️⃣ Hotel Investment Market** [👉 [full story]](https://www.moneys.co.kr/article/2024041915194044953) **TL;DR:** Rising rates and construction costs kill hotel conversion investment **The story:** Last year, hotels accounted for just 6% of Korea's commercial real estate investment. Rising interest rates and development costs have crushed the hotel conversion deals that boomed during COVID. **What's next?** Interest is shifting to co-living and rental dormitories. Some hotels are converting upper floors into long-term co-living units for extended-stay guests. ---