'Boycott Japan' leading to cancellations of trips to Japan

4 out of 10 flight cancellations are bound for Japan

A Korean consumer boycott of Japanese products, to protest Japan's export curbs to Korea, has expanded to the tourism sector, and a number of travelers are canceling their trips to the neighboring country.

According to local website WeMakePrice (WMP), Thursday, the cancellation rate for flight tickets to Japan has risen five-fold since the boycott began earlier this month.

In the last week of June, the cancellation rate for flight tickets reserved through the site was 9 percent of the total for all overseas destinations. However, it increased to 15 percent in the first week of July, then 36 percent in the second and 44 percent in the third.

Booking rates have also decreased. In the last week of June, about 25 percent of international flight reservations were for Japan, but this decreased to 10 percent in the third week of July.

The boycott has also changed the ranking of Korean tourists' preferred destinations.

Before the Japanese government announced restrictions on certain exports, widely seen as in retaliation to the Korean Supreme Court's rulings on wartime forced labor, three Japanese cities were in Koreans' top 10 favorite tourist destinations. Osaka ranked second, followed by Fukuoka in fifth place and Toyko, ninth.

However, only Osaka remained in the top 10 list as of the third week of July. The port city's ranking went down to seventh, however, while Tokyo ranked 11th and Fukuoka, 20th.

Hong Kong and Singapore replaced the Japanese cities as preferences for Korean tourists as the two are relatively close to Korea.

Hong Kong ranked 17th on the WMP's list of Koreans' favorite tourist destinations in the second half of June, but reservations skyrocketed 279 percent to rank it sixth in the third week of July. Singapore also entered the top 10 from 19th as its reservation rate jumped 200 percent.

"Not only are there cancellations of trips to Japan, but fewer and fewer inquiries and reservations are being made for tours to the country," a WMP official said.

Cancellations of trips to Japan may continue ― or even grow ― after the summer peak season because many schools across the country plan to change their school trip destinations.

About 20 high schools nationwide have changed their plans to visit Japan in the second semester and are seeking other destinations such as Taiwan, according to regional education offices.

Some leisure facilities here are trying to attract people who canceled trips to Japan.

High1 Resort in Gangwon Province is offering a package program that gives huge discounts to people who cancel their trips and choose the resort instead.

It stated "overseas destinations" on its website, but is apparently targeting those cancelling trips to Japan. It provides a 540,000 won package for 129,000 won to people who can prove the destination change through providing flight cancellation documents.