More than nine in ten domestic travelers in South Korea say they would use home-sharing accommodations if supply expanded, according to a new survey, as the sector emerges as a potential solution to lodging shortages and tourism concentration.
A survey commissioned by Airbnb and conducted by market research firm Embrain polled 1,000 adults with domestic travel experience in the past year. The results, released on the 5th, showed 92.9% of respondents would use home-sharing services if availability matched levels seen in overseas destinations. Additionally, 77.8% said South Korea's home-sharing infrastructure is insufficient.
The survey revealed domestic travel demand is concentrated in specific destinations, purposes, and accommodation types. The most visited destinations in the past year were Gangwon, Jeju, and Busan. However, among respondents in their 20s, Daejeon ranked fourth at 7.3%, indicating some differentiation in travel patterns.
Travel purposes also showed concentration. Culinary tourism was cited as the primary purpose by 64.4% of respondents, while participation in experience programs (7.8%) and visits related to local content (3.9%) remained relatively low. Hotels and resorts accounted for 70.0% of accommodation choices, while home-sharing represented just 19.7%.
Cost burden and lack of content were identified as key factors discouraging domestic travel. Respondents cited high travel costs (27.9%), travel distance and time (27.8%), and insufficient attractions and experiences (13.4%) as reasons for hesitation.
Accommodation issues affected overall travel planning. While 87.5% identified lodging as a core element of trip planning, 92.5% reported difficulties in the booking process. Primary complaints included prices too high relative to facilities (54.1%) and room shortages during weekends and peak seasons (46.3%).
Accommodation constraints also impacted travel schedules. Some 17.8% of respondents shortened their trips to day visits instead of overnight stays, while 10.2% said they had postponed or canceled travel plans entirely.
Demand for regional content was also evident. When asked about priorities for strengthening domestic tourism competitiveness, respondents gave high marks to "developing distinctive regional content and experiences" (42.4%).
The strong showing of Daejeon among travelers in their 20s was attributed to culinary content such as "bread pilgrimages" serving as travel motivators. This suggests "anchor content" targeting specific regions can influence tourism demand patterns.
Home-sharing was evaluated as an alternative offering price competitiveness and local experiences. Users cited reasonable prices (59.2%) as the main advantage, while 22.2% said they chose home-sharing to experience everyday life in local neighborhoods. Furthermore, 85.7% said accommodations created by remodeling vacant or aging houses would help revitalize tourism.
An Airbnb official said, "We plan to work with the Korea Tourism Organization and other partners to develop regional accommodations and experience content, while also participating in discussions on institutionalizing home-sharing for domestic travelers."