If you want to attract international guests, listing on global OTAs isn't optional—it's essential
⚠️ All rights reserved. Cite this piece as 'ONDA (온다)' when quoting.
This Week's Weekly ON
🏨 Foreign Tourist Surge: Small Accommodation Businesses Face a Crossroads
💡 What's in the 'Chuseok Economic Stability Package' for Hospitality?
⌨️ #ChuseokDomesticTravel #ChineseTouristVisaWaiver #IllegalAccommodationCrackdown #SeoulForeignTourism #K-TourismInnovationTF
🏠 Industry Story
Foreign Tourist Surge: Small Accommodation Businesses Face a Crossroads
The number of foreign tourists visiting Korea in 2025 is exploding. In July 2025, 1,733,199 foreign tourists visited—a 23.1% increase year-over-year—and cumulative arrivals from January through July have already topped 10 million.
What's more striking is that this isn't a one-time spike. From August 2024 through July 2025, over 1 million tourists visited every single month, totaling 17,818,889 visitors—surpassing 2019 levels entirely.
This sends a clear signal to small and mid-sized accommodation businesses: foreign tourists are no longer optional—they're essential.
From Youke to Sanke: The Evolving Chinese Tourist
Pay special attention to Chinese tourists, who account for about 30% of all inbound visitors.
The shift from 'Youke' (游客, group tour packages) to 'Sanke' (散客, independent travelers) is complete.
This change opens new doors for small lodgings. Group tourists stayed at large hotels tied to package deals, but young independent travelers search and book unique properties directly via OTAs and social media.
They're not just shopping anymore—they want cultural experiences, K-food, beauty treatments, and more. They seek 'emotional,' 'exotic,' and 'experience-driven' stays. Exactly where small properties can outshine big hotels.
If you want to attract international guests, listing on global OTAs isn't optional—it's essential. 62% of global travelers book accommodation through OTAs. But here's the critical decision:
Will you manage your listings yourself, or outsource to an agency?
👉<Keep Reading>
💡 Hospitality Trends
What's in the 'Chuseok Economic Stability Package' for Hospitality?
Last week, the government announced its 'Chuseok Economic Stability Package' aimed at boosting regional tourism during the holiday. The goal: get people traveling locally over Chuseok.
Major tourist sites—national heritage properties, arboretums, museums—will offer free or discounted entry. Expressway tolls will be waived. And 150,000 accommodation discount vouchers will be issued for use in 31 special disaster zones.
A broader 'Autumn Travel Campaign' runs through November, featuring:
- ▲'Accommodation Sale Festa' vouchers (₩20,000–₩50,000 off)
- ▲Quality-certified stays discount (₩20,000–₩30,000 off)
- ▲Camping sites discount (₩10,000 off)
- ▲Tour pass & tourism venture packages (up to 30% off)
- ▲Six themed travel programs (average 45% off)
Expect a major uptick in domestic travel demand.
⌨️ Keyword News
1️⃣ #ChuseokDomesticTravel 👉[Full Story]
TL;DR: October holiday bookings up 65% YoY
The story: Nolyuniverse reports that domestic accommodation bookings during the October holiday period surged 65% compared to last year. Gangwon-do accounted for 18% of bookings, while South Jeolla and North Gyeongsang provinces jumped 131% and 124%, respectively. Nature-oriented lodging is booming: pensions +82%, glamping/caravans/camping +131%.
2️⃣ #ChineseTouristVisaWaiver 👉[Full Story]
TL;DR: Visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists sparks optimism
The story: Starting September 29, the government will temporarily allow visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists, raising expectations in the tourism sector. China is Korea's #1 source market—last year Chinese visitors accounted for 28% (4.6 million) of all arrivals. The 2025 target: 5.36 million, up 17%.
3️⃣ #IllegalAccommodationCrackdown 👉[Full Story]
TL;DR: Airbnb calls for stronger enforcement against illegal listings
The story: Airbnb held a roundtable urging policy reforms to eliminate illegal properties, including: ▲Improving Jeju's 'off-islander business' rules (e.g., owner residency requirement, ban on domestic guests) ▲Legal framework requiring all platforms to verify and submit business registration data.
4️⃣ #SeoulForeignTourism 👉[Full Story]
TL;DR: Seoul foreign arrivals hit all-time high
The story: July 2025 saw 1.36 million foreign tourists visit Seoul—up 23.1% YoY and a record high. Top markets: China (470k), Japan (240k), Taiwan (160k), U.S. (100k). Jan–Jul 2025 also set a new record for the period.
5️⃣ #K-TourismInnovationTF 👉[Full Story]
TL;DR: Culture Ministry launches K-Tourism Innovation Task Force
The story: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched a new task force to boost inbound and regional tourism. It includes cross-government agencies (Finance, Justice, Interior, Land & Transport), public corporations (Korea Tourism Organization, Korail), and private sector partners (travel agencies, platforms).