Lotte Tourism Development's operating profit surged 2.2 times in the first quarter due to growth in casino and hotel businesses.

Lotte Tour Development’s casino and hotel businesses both grew in the first quarter of this year, leading to a significant increase in operating profit. As demand from foreign tourists fully recovers, combined with simultaneous increases in casino visitors and hotel room sales, profitability has been further improved.

According to the information released by Lotte Tour Development on the 14th, the operating profit for the first quarter of 2026 was 28.8 billion won, 2.2 times higher than the same period last year. During the same period, sales increased by 28.1%, reaching 156.2 billion won, marking the first time quarterly sales exceeded 150 billion won. The operating profit margin also steadily increased from 8.3% in 2024 and 10.7% in 2025 to 18.4% in 2026. This indicates that not only has sales volume grown, but the efficiency of converting sales into profits has also improved.

The core of the performance improvement lies in the casino business. Casino sales in the first quarter reached 118.63 billion won, a 40.3% increase compared to a year earlier. The number of casino users also increased from 109,631 to 150,553, a 37.3% rise. It can be said that the expansion of visitors directly led to the growth in sales. Given that casinos exclusively for foreigners are directly affected by the influx of overseas tourists, this data indicates that the recovery trend in the domestic tourism market is indeed reflected in corporate performance.

The hotel sector also maintained steady growth. Hotel sales amounted to 38.14 billion won, a 20.2% increase from the same period last year, with the number of hotel rooms sold reaching 109,233, a 37.1% increase. Notably, the proportion of foreign guests increased from 66.8% to 73.5%. This not only explains the improvement in room occupancy rates but also suggests that the number of overseas visitors to Jeju is increasing. The restaurant sector’s sales also reached 9.54 billion won, a 24.1% increase, indicating that the ancillary businesses within the hotel are also gaining momentum.

The company stated that with the official tourism peak season approaching, it expects performance to see a substantial increase throughout the year. Market analysts also believe that if the recovery trend of foreign tourists continues and demand for casinos and accommodations increases simultaneously, the momentum of performance improvement after the second quarter is very likely to continue. However, due to external variables such as exchange rates, international situations, and airline operation environments affecting the tourism industry, whether the current growth momentum can be maintained steadily throughout the year remains a key focus for the future.