Leaving the country after work on Friday… After entering the country on Monday, go to work
Night time flights recovered to 98% level just before COVID-19
0.5-night hotels for late-night travelers are also popular.
Images related to office workers at the airport. Photo = Getty Image Bank “You can leave for Japan after work on Friday and go to work as soon as you return home on Monday.”
Mr. Nam, an office worker in his 30s, recently traveled to Japan, but did not pay separate annual leave. This is a ‘night goblin trip’ where you leave the country right after work on Friday evening, return on Sunday or Monday morning, and go straight to work. Mr. Nam said, “I didn’t have any annual leave to use this year, so I thought I would have to go on an overseas trip next year, but this way, 4 days and 2 nights was enough.” He added, “I plan to go on another night goblin trip right before the end-of-year peak season.”
According to the industry on the 28th, ‘night goblin travel’, which involves traveling abroad to nearby destinations including weekends and public holidays after work, has been on the rise since the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus infection) pandemic. The increase in flights at night stimulated the demand for such night-time travel.
According to Incheon International Airport’s time slot operation statistics, a total of 4,598 flights operated from 6 PM to midnight last month. It has recovered to 98% of the level just before COVID-19 (4696 flights). Four years ago (September 2020), when COVID-19 was rampant, the number of flights plummeted to 506, but increased to 3,870 in September of last year, and this year, it increased again by about 19% compared to the same month last year.
Airport related images. Photo = Getty Image Bank As of the 25th, a total of 156 flights were operated from 6 PM to midnight on Friday, when most Bamdokkaebi travelers depart. Among these, 114 flights had a flight time of less than 6 hours and were concentrated in short-haul areas such as Japan, Vietnam, and China.
Travelers who go on a Bamdokkaebi trip arrive at their destination late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Since you go sightseeing right after taking a short break at the airport, it is important to reduce your physical strength more than anything else. The ‘good tip’ given by Bamdokkaebi travelers is to minimize luggage. This is because you have to visit various places in a short period of time. When using a suitcase, it is recommended that it is 20 inches or less to carry on board. This is because you can arrive at your destination and go straight to the departure hall without waiting for your luggage to arrive.
‘0.5-night hotels’ are also popular in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. This is to save travel expenses and reduce physical exhaustion on the first day and before returning home, as a full night’s stay is not required. Most people prefer locations close to airports and shopping centers.
Hana Tour presented a special exhibition where you can easily view recommended hotels for 0.5 nights. It consists of 0.5-night hotels that satisfy the purpose of a short stay such as leaving luggage, showering after a massage, resting before going to the airport, or shopping for souvenirs, so it is highly satisfying for travelers who take flights departing and arriving early in the morning.
An industry official said, “Bamgoblin travel was popular when demand for independent travel peaked just before COVID-19,” and added, “Demand is showing signs of recovery after the pandemic, and many young office workers who do not want to waste their annual leave visit it.”
Shin Yong-hyun, Hankyung.com reporter yonghyun@hankyung.com
