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With the resumption of direct international flights to Jeju at pre-COVID-19 levels, the number of foreign tourists visiting Jeju has surpassed 1 million.
According to an announcement by Korea Airports Corporation, which operates Jeju Airport, and the tourism industry on the 20th of last month, the number of direct international flights to Jeju, including regular and charter flights by both domestic and foreign airlines, reached 190 flights per week in July.
This marks a return to the peak level of international flights recorded in December 2019 (189 flights per week) before the COVID-19 pandemic. It also represents about 90% of the highest number of international flights to Jeju recorded in July-August 2016 (206.5 flights per week), which was the peak period for foreign tourists visiting Jeju.
The number of direct international flights to Jeju by both domestic and international airlines is significantly increasing.
Korean Air resumed its Jeju-Tokyo direct route (three times a week) on the 19th of last month, reopening the sky bridge between Jeju and Japan after a hiatus of three years and four months.
To celebrate the resumption, Jeju Province and the Jeju Tourism Organization held a welcoming event in front of the international arrivals hall at Jeju Airport. Until October 26,
Korean Air’s Jeju-Tokyo route will operate every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, departing Jeju at 1:05 PM and Narita, Japan at 4:35 PM.
Jeju Air resumed its direct route between Jeju and Xi’an, China (twice a week) on the 16th of last month. Jin Air also resumed its Xi’an direct route (twice a week) on the 22nd, expanding the Jeju-Xi’an direct flights to four times a week.
Additionally, starting in July, China Eastern Airlines and Eastar Jet are operating the Shanghai route two times and four times a week, respectively, increasing the direct flights to Shanghai to 64 times a week.
Furthermore, Air China and Korean Air have each started operating the Beijing route seven times a week, expanding the direct flights to Beijing to 28 times a week.
Besides these, local travel agencies in major Chinese cities such as Guangzhou and Wuhan are beginning to promote charter flight packages for August, suggesting further expansion of international flights.
With the expansion of international flights, the number of foreign tourists visiting Jeju has surged to 1,015,110 as of July 19th of this year, more than four times the number during the same period last year (268,030).
On the 17th, including cruise tourists, 11,814 visitors arrived, marking the first time the number of foreign tourists surpassed 1 million this year. In the first half of the year (January to June), 907,869 foreign tourists visited Jeju, surpassing the 784,615 during the same period in 2019.
Jeju Weekly editor@jejuweekly.net
