More and more vacation-goers seem to be preparing earlier for their summer holidays.

The number of early reservations for summer holiday packages has significantly increased compared to that of last year, said travel industry officials.

According to Interpark Tour, an online travel agency, the number of early reservations made in May for summer trips has shown a 23 percent increase from last year.

“Many people are showing interest in our special summer holiday promotions. I think this is because the earlier you book, the cheaper the cost is,” said an Interpark official.

Interpark Tour is currently offering department store gift cards or a 60,000 won ($54) discount for those who book a summer holiday package before summer.

Mode Tour, one of Korea’s largest travel agencies, also saw a significant boost in early bookings for summer vacations.

The rate of early reservations to Southeast Asia rose 48 percent in May compared to that of last year.

“I believe our special summer promotions have been effective to attract customers who want to save money,” said a Mode Tour associate.

Mode Tour’s special promotions include the “Summer Early Bird Promotion” which offers great discounts on 75 travel packages.

The booking rate at Hana Tour also increased, especially from early March.

The rate in March reached 12.29 percent, which is double from March last year.

“The promotion period has not ended yet. So it’s a bit early to have a full comparison with last year. But I’m pretty sure early reservations have notably increased,” said a Hana Tour official, giving a cautious yet optimistic view.

By Lee Hyun-jeong (rene@heraldcorp.com)