Japanese travel agency JTB Corporation has reported that the number of citizens engaging in domestic travel during Golden Week may decrease due to escalating living costs.

Experts foresee a potential decrease of up to 6.9% from the figures recorded in 2024, translating to approximately 23.45 million vacationers.

Moreover, in light of the pandemic, many Japanese travelers are increasingly choosing to avoid crowded holidays, opting instead for trips outside the Golden Week timeframe, which runs from April 26 to May 6 this year.

Not Quite There Yet

JTB also highlights that traveler numbers may remain around 90% of pre-COVID levels, with domestic travel seeing a 7.2% decline from 2024’s 22.9 million. Conversely, overseas travel for Golden Week reflects a 10% increase from the previous year, with nearby destinations such as South Korea and Taiwan gaining traction due to the weakened yen.

According to JTB’s latest survey, planned spending per person for domestic travel is expected to average US$255, up 1.4% from the previous year, whereas expenditure for overseas travel is projected to average 268,000 yen, a decrease of 0.4%.

These insights are drawn from an online survey conducted last month with 1,846 individuals planning a trip lasting one night or longer between April 25 and May 7.