Pet hotel [Yonhap Photo]
Previously, it has not been easy for animal lovers and pets to travel together in South Korea due to the lack of pet-friendly accommodations. The most widely used form of accommodation for pets was pet hotels, which charge up to 30,000 won ($25) per night.
Yeogi Ottae, a hotel-searching app servicer, said in a statement on Tuesday that the number of pet-friendly accommodation facilities including hotels and pensions has jumped from 70 in 2016 to 700 this year.
"Traveling with pets is receiving attention as a new trend," a Yeogi Ottae official was quoted as saying. Yeogi Ottae said an increasing number of accommodation operators has modified existing facilities to reflect the new trend.
Chung Yong-jin, the de facto head of South Korea's retail conglomerate Shinsegae, opened a French lifestyle boutique hotel business called "L'Escape" in central Seoul in July last year. Chung, who is well known for his ingenious ideas, allowed hotel residents to stay with pet dogs. The boutique hotel also provides special services for dog guests such as birthday parties and brunch menus for dogs and owners.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
