Misunderstanding of Visa Waiver Termination… The Secret Behind the City Where Search Volume Surged 117% Due to a $15 Extension

"How much will travel costs increase when the visa fee exemption for Filipino group tourists ends?" is a question that differs from the actual situation. The Ministry of Justice has extended the visa application fee exemption measure—previously applied to group tourists from six countries, including China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, of USD 15 per person (approximately KRW 22,500)—until December 31, 2026 ¹. Rather than ending and increasing the financial burden, the exemption will continue to be maintained through the end of the year.

During the same period, accommodation searches for Ulsan in Korea surged by 117% year-on-year, a trend attributed to a comprehensive redesign of the travel experience, such as moving festivals from the hot month of August to June ². In other words, specific content tailored to the time of visit drove travel demand more significantly than the exemption of a small fee worth around KRW 20,000.

Extension Rather Than Termination: Fee Exemption Valid Until December

In July 2026, the Ministry of Justice announced the extension of the group visa application fee exemption (USD 15, approximately KRW 22,500) for group tourists from six countries—China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Cambodia—until December 31, 2026, instead of its originally scheduled end in June ¹. This measure was designed to revitalize inbound group tourism. According to the Ministry’s announcement, the number of foreign visitors who entered Korea on group visas in 2025 reached approximately 790,000, a 39% increase from the previous year (approximately 570,000), while the illegal stay dropout rate decreased to 0.07%, less than half of the previous year’s 0.19% ¹.

The KRW 22,500 per person represents a relatively small portion of total personal travel expenses. The Ministry of Justice itself did not view the fee exemption as the "sole factor" in increasing the number of visitors to Korea. It assessed that improved external relations and the spread of K-culture also played positive roles in enhancing sentiment toward visiting Korea ¹. Therefore, it is more accurate to view the presence or absence of visa costs not as an absolute criterion for destination choice, but as one of the auxiliary factors that lower entry barriers in terms of sentiment.

The Relationship Between the 49% Increase in Philippine Search Volume and the Extension

According to analysis by Agoda, Japan was the top market for accommodation searches related to Korea in the first half of 2026, followed by Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines in the top five ². Notably, the Philippines saw a 49% increase in search volume, entering the top tier of major inbound source markets ². Agoda projected that interest in traveling to Korea would continue to sustain given the extension of the visa fee exemption for Philippine travelers ². However, given other underlying factors beyond visa policy, the increase in search volume cannot be solely attributed to the fee exemption.

Behind Seoul and Busan: Ulsan Surges 117% with Complex Tourism Content

In the first half of 2026, Seoul recorded the highest volume of foreign accommodation searches, followed by Busan, Jeju, Incheon, and Daegu ². Among these, Ulsan showed the most prominent growth rate, with accommodation searches increasing by 117% year-on-year ².

Concurrently, Ulsan boasts attractions worth staying for, such as the Amethyst Cave, Sheep Ranch, Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Village, and the Bangudae Cheon Rock Engravings, a UNESCO World Heritage site ². In July, the Gangdong Beach Coastal Park was newly opened to prepare for tourism demand in the second half of the year ².

Ulsan did not significantly lower visa or airfare prices; instead, it changed what travelers can enjoy and how they can enjoy it locally. While the small fee exemption served to slightly lower barriers to entry, this design of the travel experience enhanced the value of local stays and is interpreted as a key factor influencing search and visit demand.

Travel Costs and Choice Criteria: Prioritizing 'Content' Over Cost

In conclusion, the USD 15 (approximately KRW 22,500) visa fee exemption for Filipino group tourists has not ended and has been extended until December 31, 2026 ¹. Therefore, there is no need to assume this amount will be added to travel budgets. As data from the Ministry of Justice and Agoda show, the ability to experience specific activities at the destination matters more as a practical choice criterion than visa costs themselves.

When planning a trip, it is more realistic to identify festivals happening during the visit period or newly opened facilities, rather than focusing solely on fluctuations in small entry costs. As seen in Ulsan’s case, where a music festival was moved to June to avoid the August heat, identifying the content travelers can actually enjoy during their stay first leads to rational travel choices ².