Jeju Caught in Dilemma over Tourism Restoration and Unfold of COVID-19

This file photo shows a Jeju Island stone mascot wearing a mask while tourists pass by. (Yonhap)

JEJU, April 11 (Korea Bizwire) – – Rapid growth in tourist numbers brings joy and concern to residents of Jeju, the southern vacation island increasingly preferred by locals as an alternative to overseas travel amid the COVID-19 outbreaks.

Tourist arrivals to Jeju Island have rapidly recovered to pre-coronavirus levels in recent months, to the delight of the tourism sector. However, residents are concerned about the increase in COVID-19 cases among visitors.

According to the Jeju provincial authorities, the number of tourists who visited Jeju last month was 880,000 on Sunday, almost double from 470,000 in the same month last year.

The latest monthly balance was also 85 percent of the pre-COVID-19 level of 1.03 million recorded the same month in 2019. Provincial officials say Jeju’s tourist arrivals quickly recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

At the same time, unknown numbers of coronavirus carriers among tourists are giving both Jeju residents and quarantine officers a headache.

Eleven of 12 COVID-19 cases confirmed on the island in the first seven days of this month came from mainland visitors or Jeju residents who contracted the virus from tourists.

To the horror of Jeju residents, it was found that some infected tourists had come to Jeju despite suspected symptoms of COVID-19 or learned of infections from work colleagues before they set foot on the island.

“Coronavirus cases are increasing among visitors as spring tourism becomes more active in April,” a Jeju Province government official said, urging islanders to follow social distancing rules when dealing with visitors.

A senior official from Jeju Tourism Organization also said that Jeju authorities had no choice but to focus on anti-virus measures for the time being.

“Jeju residents are concerned about the transmission of COVID-19 from tourists, but they also know full well that the island’s economy itself will be badly hit if the tourism industry stagnates,” the official said.

(Yonhap)