Yanolja Research

 Korean airlines are taking the lead in Korea–Japan skies. ✈️🇰🇷🇯🇵 Flights between Korea and Japan have rebounded faster than ever—but one trend stands out: Korean carriers now dominate the market. In 2025, Korean airlines operated 134,615 flights on Korea–Japan routes, compared with 11,937 flights by foreign carriers. This reflects not only a strong recovery in outbound demand, but also the growing role of Korean airlines in connecting travelers between the two countries. As travel patterns continue to evolve, the next challenge is clear: expanding inbound connectivity beyond major hubs. Yanolja Research's recent analysis highlights that strengthening international air networks—particularly through regional airports and greater participation by foreign carriers—can play a critical role in dispersing tourism demand and creating new opportunities for regional economies. How can stronger air connectivity reshape the future of regional tourism? 📖 Breif Vol.11  Opening the Gat...

Where Did All the Chinese Tourists Go? 🇨🇳✈️ China's outbound tourism market has recovered to 146 million travelers in 2024, reaching 94% of its pre-pandemic level. As outbound travel rebounds, competition among Asian destinations to attract Chinese visitors is intensifying. In 2025: • 🇯🇵 Japan remained the largest destination with 9.10M Chinese visitors. • 🇰🇷 South Korea moved ahead of Thailand, attracting 5.48M Chinese visitors in 2025. • 🇻🇳 Vietnam posted the strongest growth (+41.3%), while Thailand experienced the steepest decline (−33.6%). What explains these shifts in travel patterns? In Yanolja Research Insights Vol.42, we examine the changing competitive landscape of Asian tourism and analyze how Chinese travelers perceive Seoul and Busan compared with other major destinations across Asia. 🔗 Read the full report:  Vol.42 Seoul and Busan as Experienced by Chinese Tourists

South Korea's medical tourism boom is translating into record-breaking spending. Foreign visitors' medical expenditure in Korea reached KRW 1.72 trillion in 2025, nearly tripling from 2023 and signaling the rapid expansion of Korea's medical tourism market. As demand continues to grow, the next challenge is not simply attracting more visitors—but creating greater value through an integrated medical and wellness ecosystem. Want to know what's driving this growth and where the industry is headed next? Check out Yanolja Research Insights Vol.39 for the full analysis and strategic outlook. 📖  Vol.39 South Korea’s Medical and Wellness Tourism: Strategies for Scalability and Integration

A tourism milestone may be closer than ever. South Korea’s inbound tourism continues to surge while outbound travel growth slows, narrowing the gap to just 260,000 travelers in April 2026. Key highlights from Yanolja Research Brief Vol.13: 📌 Record 4.74M inbound visitors in Q1 2026 📌 Tourism revenue in Q1 2026 reaches USD 5.84B 📌 Regional airports are driving faster growth than Seoul-area gateways 📌 March 2026 recorded South Korea’s first monthly tourism surplus in 11 years and 4 months Could South Korea soon see an inbound–outbound tourism golden cross? For a deeper analysis of Korea’s inbound and outbound tourism performance in Q1 2026, please refer to Yanolja Research Brief Vol.13. 🔗  Vol.13 Analysis of Korea's Inbound and Outbound Tourism Performance for Q1 2026

Beyond Visitor Numbers: A New Way to Understand Global Festival Competitiveness Festivals have become much more than seasonal events. They are powerful drivers of destination branding, tourism demand, and memorable visitor experiences. A new global festival evaluation framework takes a fresh approach by looking beyond attendance figures and focusing on what truly shapes a festival's reputation—the experiences visitors share. Why Experience Matters More Than Ever Today's travelers seek authentic, immersive experiences rather than simply visiting famous attractions. Instead of measuring success by visitor numbers or economic impact alone, this new approach emphasizes: Visitor experience and satisfaction Global reputation and online conversations Emotional responses shared across digital platforms This shift reflects the growing importance of experience-led tourism in shaping destination competitiveness. A More Holistic View of Festival Attractiveness Festival performance is evalu...

🏆 Revealing the Top 20 Most Attractive Festivals in the World 📊 What is the Global Festival Attractiveness Index (a.k.a. Yanolja Festival Index)? It is a measurement tool that objectively evaluates the attractiveness of major festivals worldwide based on visitors' cognitive and emotional perceptions derived from global social data. 🔗 Full Ranking:  Festival Score 🔍 Insights Vol.43:  Yanolja Festival Index: A New Paradigm for Measuring Global Festival Attractiveness