We analyzed 1.56 million real booking transactions from ONDA HUB — Korea's largest integrated sales platform — to uncover what's shaping the lodging industry this year.
⚠️ All rights reserved. Cite this piece as 'ONDA (온다)' when quoting.
In this issue
🏨 2024 H1 hospitality data trends
💡 Armed Forces Day holiday: Will it boost travel demand?
⌨️ #LodgingFesta #ChuseokHotspots #InboundRecovery #SeoulOfficetel #JejuTourism
🏠 Industry Story
2024 H1 Hospitality Data Trends
What changed in Korea's lodging market in the first half of 2024?
We analyzed 1.56 million real booking transactions from ONDA HUB — Korea's largest integrated sales platform — to surface the trends reshaping the industry.
💡 Key Findings 💡
1. Domestic travel demand held steady vs. last year, but tourist spending dropped slightly amid the prolonged slowdown.
2. June emerged as the new high season and recorded the highest sales in H1. The Lodging Sale Festa drove strong February and March sales as well.
3. Premium lodging is on the rise: hotels, resorts, and pool villas all saw revenue gains. Average room rates, however, dipped slightly across the board.
4. Korea's pension and pool villa market is polarizing — budget options are winning volume; luxury properties are capturing the high end.
5. Global OTAs and D2C channels saw notable growth. Booking channels are diversifying: mobility apps, closed welfare malls, and vertical travel services are all gaining share.
👉<Download the Full Report>
In H1 2024, inbound tourism recovery accelerated and domestic "hotel-cations" stayed strong. Hotel and resort sales surged 29.6% and 14.1% YoY, respectively. Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon hotel revenues jumped 63% compared to two years ago. In contrast, pensions and glamping/camping — favored by domestic travelers — dropped 1.3% and 15.3% YoY.
Even as smaller properties struggled, pool villa sales climbed 13% YoY. The pandemic-era shift toward premium, private lodging continued into the first half of this year.
By channel, global OTAs and D2C stood out. Global OTA sales grew 66.8% vs. two years ago — driven by travelers who discovered platforms like Booking.com abroad and continued using them at home. D2C revenues jumped 71.5% over the same period, as hotels doubled down on brand building and direct marketing.
Booking channels keep fragmenting. Closed welfare malls (for employees and members) and vertical travel services grew 128% and 56% YoY, respectively.
👉<Download: 2024 H1 Hospitality Data & Trends Report>
💡 Hospitality Trends
Armed Forces Day Holiday: Will It Boost Travel?
TL;DR: October 1 is now a special holiday. Take 3 days off → 9-day break. Take 5 → 12 days.
The story: October 1 (Armed Forces Day) was declared a temporary public holiday, turning the surrounding weekend into a long break. With just three days of PTO, you can make it a 9-day trip — or go all in for 12.
Travel agencies are seeing a spike. Kyowon Tours reports new bookings up ~25% week-over-week after the announcement. Last year's October holiday — a 6-day window — drove a surge in short-haul international trips.
But some are skeptical. This holiday comes just two weeks after Chuseok, and many office workers won't take consecutive time off. That could push demand toward shorter domestic stays — like hotel-cations — instead of overseas trips.
⌨️ Keyword News
1️⃣ Lodging Festa Extended 👉[full story]
TL;DR: Discount voucher allotment boosted from 200K to 500K
The story: The government's Lodging Sale Festa — launched for Chuseok — is expanding. Voucher supply jumped from 200,000 to 500,000, and the campaign will run past the holiday to keep domestic travel momentum going.
Timeline? Vouchers issued through Nov 17. Check-in valid through Nov 24.
2️⃣ Chuseok Travel Favorites 👉[full story]
TL;DR: Gangwon-do tops destinations; hotels top lodging
The story: Car-sharing app SoCar analyzed Chuseok bookings. Top regions: Gangwon-do (20.1%), Gyeongsangbuk-do (9.1%), Gyeonggi-do (8.8%), Jeollanam-do (8.5%).
Lodging breakdown? Hotels (38.6%), motels (36%), pensions (24.5%). Check-ins clustered on Sept 14 (35.4%) and 15 (30.2%) — early in the long weekend.
3️⃣ Inbound Tourism Recovery 👉[full story]
TL;DR: H1 arrivals hit 91% of 2019 levels
The story: Korea welcomed ~7.7M international visitors in H1 2024 — 91.2% of 2019 figures. But Asia, which normally accounts for 70–80% of arrivals, is lagging.
Spending? Per-visitor spending dropped 37.7% YoY and 18.3% vs. 2019 — a worrying sign for revenue recovery.
4️⃣ Seoul Officetel Slump 👉[full story]
TL;DR: Airbnb registration mandate hits officetel rental demand
The story: Airbnb's crackdown on unregistered listings is draining demand for Seoul officetels in Hongdae, Hapjeong, and Gangnam.
Outlook? An estimated 90% of Airbnb listings in Seoul are unregistered. As those units exit, hotels, motels, and serviced residences are expected to capture the spillover demand.
5️⃣ Jeju Visitor Milestone 👉[full story]
TL;DR: Jeju crosses 10M cumulative visitors for 2024
The story: Jeju hit the 10M visitor mark on Sept 17 — 12 days earlier than last year. Over 220,000 people visited during the Chuseok holiday alone.
Breakdown? Domestic visitors (~8.6M) dropped ~6% YoY. But international visitors surged 225% to ~1.41M — a dramatic reversal.
This newsletter ceased publication on April 23, 2026. For inquiries, contact us at contact@onda.me.