Number of Japanese Going Abroad for Golden Week Holidays Almost at Pre-Pandemic Level

The number of Japanese traveling overseas during Golden Week in 2024 is expected to recover to around 90% of pre-pandemic levels. Major travel agency JTB estimates that 520,000 more Japanese will travel abroad during the extended holidays, lasting from April 25 to May 5, representing a year-on-year increase of 67.7%. The figures are based on transport and tourism data as well as survey results.

Except for 2019, when there was a record high due to an unusual 10-day Golden Week, the number of overseas travelers remained at around 550,000 in the five-year period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers in 2024 are expected to recover to approximately 90% of that level. Meanwhile, the average cost of a holiday is forecast to rise by 4.7% year-on-year to ¥269,000 due to the weak yen and inflation.

The most popular overseas destination for travelers is South Korea (20.8%), followed by countries in Southeast Asia (16.7%) and Taiwan (13.5%). As of April 3, overseas holiday bookings at JTB were up 125% from the previous year, with destinations in Asia to where people can take short breaks proving popular.

In contrast, the number of Japanese traveling domestically is forecast to rise year-on-year by 0.9% to 22.8 million, with average holiday costs per person expected to increase by 3.7% to ¥36,100. The growth in the number of domestic tourists is being slowed by higher prices, while travel costs on average are increasing at a faster rate. Overall, the total number of both overseas and domestic holidaymakers is expected to increase by 1.8% year-on-year to 23.3 million and total travel costs to rise by 11.2% over the same period to ¥963 billion.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: The international departure terminal at Haneda Airport on April 29, 2023. © Jiji.)