I booked a flight ticket to Hawaii because I was exempted from self-quarantine for this week’s wedding.”
The exemption from self-quarantine for overseas entrants is changing the customs of honeymoon again. Nearly half of newlyweds choose places called honeymoon destinations such as Hawaii and the Maldives.
In particular, the number of newlyweds going on “tardy” honeymoon has increased significantly. Newlyweds who have been married during the “COVID-19 period” for the past two years have been forced to go on honeymoon trips to Korea, including Jeju Island. As overseas travel becomes possible, they are going on a proper honeymoon again.
However, the burden on newlyweds seems to be increasing, with insufficient supply of flights and soaring oil prices recently, which has led to a significant rise in airfare compared to before COVID-19.
Ms. Kim (female) said on the 26th, “The wedding is in June, but I really wanted to go abroad for my honeymoon, so I postponed it until March,” adding, “I decided to Maldives as quarantine was lifted and I was so happy to find out the resort.”
Jang (33) said, “The wedding ceremony is only two weeks away, but I decided to go to Hawaii urgently because the self-isolation of overseas immigrants was lifted,” adding, “The cost was higher than I thought, but I’m happy to be able to go.”
The wedding and travel industries are also surprised by this trend. Wedding planner Lee Hyun-hee (39) said, “About 50% of prospective brides and grooms who marry in April to May have decided on honeymoon destinations overseas such as Hawaii and the Maldives,” adding, “There were cases where couples who were getting married this week booked urgently from Monday (21st).”
In particular, as there were many cases where the self-quarantine exemption, which was temporarily lifted in November last year, was suspended for the first time in a month, prospective newlyweds who recently married often decide to “go when they can.”
An official from a travel agency specializing in honeymoon said, “Before the self-isolation was lifted, about 10 times more than a day was received by hundreds now,” adding, “Many customers cancel their reservations early this year after late last year.”
Newlyweds in their first or second years of marriage, who had to travel in Korea, such as Jeju Island, are also planning their honeymoon again. Choi, who got married in May last year, also said, “I thought Jeju’s honeymoon was not enough,” adding, “I’m planning to go to Hawaii or Maldives this summer as a summer vacation.”
A (female), who got married in August 2020 and went to Jeju Island, explained, “I’m thinking of going on a honeymoon again during Children’s Day in May or local elections in June,” adding, “I’m considering Vietnam or Guam.”
Airplane prices have risen significantly compared to before COVID-19 due to such sudden demand. According to a search on major ticket reservation sites, the round-trip flight fee from Incheon to Hawaii in April is between 1.5 million won and 2 million won. It can be a big burden for prospective newlyweds as they were able to purchase less than 1 million won before COVID-19. In fact, there are many complaints about this in the community where newlyweds gather.
Demand for travel has increased, but supply has not reached it, and the recent surge in oil prices due to the outbreak of war in Ukraine has also affected the rise in airfare. An official from the travel industry said, “Other costs such as accommodation are not much different from before COVID-19, but airfare has risen a lot,” adding, “In the case of Maldives, direct flights such as Korean Air have also been omitted.”