International travel from South Korea is showing signs of recovery, with 29.5 million people boarding international flights between January and June. This number accounts for 64.8% of the 45.6 million passengers recorded during the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.
The recovery rate to different destinations varied. The Middle East and Africa experienced the fastest recovery, with 527,000 people boarding flights to these regions, marking an impressive 11.3% increase from the same period in 2019, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Another positive trend was observed in travel to North and South America, where 2.63 million people traveled, accounting for an impressive 98.8% of the pre-pandemic level of 2.66 million passengers in 2019.
The recovery rate of passengers heading to Japan was 75.5%, followed by the Asian region (excluding Japan and China) at 73%, and Oceania at 72.8%.
However, the number of passengers traveling to Europe has been slower to recover, accounting for only 61.7% of the pre-pandemic level. This decline is partly attributed to the suspension of flights to Russia due to the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Additionally, the number of passengers flying to China remained relatively low, with only 21% of the pre-pandemic level (1.83 million passengers) recorded during the first half of this year.
Overall, the data indicates positive progress in the recovery of international travel from South Korea. As vaccination efforts continue and travel restrictions ease, more passengers are gaining confidence to fly, particularly to regions like the Middle East and Africa. While Europe and China still face challenges in their recovery, the overall trend is encouraging for the aviation industry and global travel.
However, it is important for authorities to remain vigilant and continue implementing appropriate safety measures to ensure a sustained and safe recovery in international travel. As the situation evolves, further improvements in the travel industry are expected, bringing hope for a return to pre-pandemic levels in the near future.
