Global travel platform Yanolja (CEO Sujin Lee) released the 2024 travel trend D.R.A.G.O.N in celebration of the Year of the Dragon.

Based on an analysis of the largest pool of domestic travel and leisure big data owned by Yanolja and InterparkTriple, Yanolja identified six core trends for the new year: ▲ Ditto-Want to Travel ▲ Region-Wide Travel ▲ AI Innovation for Travel ▲ Gleeful Lifestyle ▲ One-Stop Travel ▲ Networking.

[Ditto-Want to Travel]

Firstly, Yanolja expects the acceleration of travel sentiment recovery to continue to next year. This year, overseas accommodation bookings on Yanolja increased by 590% compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, while the number of users grew by 390%. Interpark's overseas air travel passengers also increased by 320% compared to the previous year. In addition, despite the strong growth in overseas travel, the number of Yanolja's domestic accommodation users this year showed a level similar to that of the previous year, indicating a strong and growing demand in both the domestic and international travel sectors.

[Region-Wide Travel]

In light of the growing concentration of travelers in short-haul destinations such as Southeast Asia and Japan, the analysis suggests a gradual diversification in visited cities. A detailed examination of Yanolja's overseas accommodation booking data reveals that in 2022, cities like Osaka, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Kyoto, and Sapporo claimed the top five spots for the most visited destinations, whereas lesser known cities such as Yufuin grabbed a spot on the list in 2023. Vietnam is also witnessing the rapid rise of new smaller destinations such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc. This year, the number of users opting for Interpark's Da Nang packages was nearly five times higher compared to those choosing the Hanoi packages.

[AI Innovation for Travel]

In a year marked by the ascent of innovative technologies like Generative AI (Artificial intelligence), Yanolja is riding this wave in the travel sector by integrating technology seamlessly into the travel experience. Triple, for instance, has incorporated the AI-based language model GPT into its itinerary recommendation feature, providing users with bespoke and personalized travel information. The recent introduction of the chat service leveraging Geofencing technology, stands as the latest testament to such advancements. Looking ahead, Yanolja plans to introduce a diverse range of services leveraging technology to enhance traveler convenience, such as the 'Review Summary Service' powered by large language model (LLM) technology.

[Gleeful Lifestyle]

With the ongoing recovery in the leisure industry encompassing performance arts and recreational activities, Yanolja expects the demand for cultural activities to increase in the coming year. Interpark's ticket transaction volume for 2023 surpassed KRW 1 trillion, breaking previous records with an impressive 18% increase compared to the previous year. This achievement underscores a robust and sustained upward trajectory in the entertainment sector, registering a remarkable 42% growth when compared to 2019. Furthermore, the leisure and ticket product sales figures for this year reveal a noteworthy 115% growth compared to 2019, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and indicating a complete rebound in leisure demand.

[One-Stop Travel]

Another dominant trend is the One-Stop Travel ethos among travelers, who are increasingly prioritizing simplicity and convenience in their travel preparations. This year, Interpark's package bookings grew by a staggering 310% compared to the same period last year, indicating a stable and rising demand for travel packages. Notably, Yanolja's Basket Service, which provides a one-stop service that allows users to seamlessly combine and purchase various leisure products, has not only surpassed the KRW 2 trillion mark in transaction volume but has also witnessed a more than twofold increase in the number of times used compared to 2021.

[Networking]

Another noteworthy trend set to gain momentum is the integration of community-driven experiences to enhance the quality of travel and leisure culture. Triple's geofencing chat service brings together travelers in the same location to share valuable insights and information, saw its average traffic surge by more than double during the summer peak season. Moreover, Yanolja's recently launched leisure culture community, 'Noreunja Club,' which boasted a highly competitive selection rate of 11:1, suggests that the culture of sharing the joy of travel through community engagement will remain strong in the future.

MK Song, Yanolja's Communication Director, expressed enthusiasm about the prospects of the travel industry in 2024. Fueled by the spirit of the Year of the Dragon, we anticipate a complete recovery in the travel industry through explosive growth in travel demand coupled with the refinement of travel products and services through innovations in travel technology. He added, As community-driven content encouraging travel continues to proliferate and services aiding in travel preparation diversify, we expect that travel and leisure will seamlessly integrate their way into the daily lives of our customers.”