Tmap Mobility analysed that trips to hot springs and indoor cultural facilities surged despite a cold snap. Tmap Mobility said on Jan. 27 that its analysis of driving data for the top 1,000 destinations for Jan. 1 to 25 in 2024 and 2025 showed travel demand concentrating on indoor spaces despite the cold. It said trips clustered around destinations where people could rest and enjoy leisure indoors rather than cutting back on outings.

Year-on-year destination settings for hot springs rose 246.1 percent. The increase was larger than for outdoor leisure spots such as tourist attractions, scenic mountains and beaches. Yulam Hot Spring Charcoal Kiln Theme Park in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi province, ranked first for a second straight year. Major hot springs nationwide, including Deokgu Ocheon Spa World in North Gyeongsang province, Paradise Spa Dogo in South Chungcheong province and Heosimcheong in Busan, newly entered the rankings. It said the ability to enjoy rest on a short schedule was a factor behind the expanded demand.

Trips to cultural lifestyle facilities also rose 16 percent, coinciding with the school holiday season. The museum category rose 130.1 percent year on year, driven by the K-culture boom and increased visits to the National Museum of Korea. Cinemas rose 26.4 percent due to the impact of buzzworthy titles such as "If We." Visits to major exhibition halls also rose 17.9 percent, buoyed by the popularity of hands-on exhibitions such as the "Dinosaur & Reptile Expo."

Trips in shopping categories such as department stores and complex shopping malls also increased overall. Demand appeared to concentrate because shopping, dining and culture can be handled in one space. Ikea rose 38.6 percent due to the impact of new openings. Traditional and general markets, with indoor arcade-style structures that are less affected by seasons, also drew attention. Ganghwa Pungmul Market and Mangwon Market newly entered the rankings, and destination settings rose 34.4 percent.

Tmap Mobility is strengthening customised place recommendation services such as "Where to go," using driving data based on 26 million cumulative subscribers. It is advancing its services into a lifestyle-focused platform that supports users' everyday travel.

A Tmap Mobility official said, "This New Year driving data shows that early-year travel concentrated on destinations where people can handle rest, spending and leisure indoors rather than specific event-type activities." The official added, "We plan to continue analysing travel flows according to seasonal and environmental changes based on driving data to provide users with useful insights."