JTB has estimated that the number of Japanese travelers for this coming Golden Week period from April 25 to May 7 will be up 1.9% to 24.5 million in total, and the total travel expenditure be up 1.1% to 1.3 trillion yen.

Domestic travelers are expected to increase by 1.7% year on year to 2.39 million, while the average expenditure to decrease by 2.1% to 46,000 yen per traveler. JTB said that travelers seem to cut travel costs by choosing short-haul destinations or traveling with their won cars. 

Japanese outbound travelers are expected to increase by 8.5% year on year to 572,000, and the average expenditure to increase by 2.2% to 329,000 yen per traveler due to weak yen and rise in prices. JTB revealed that South Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia are preferred as before, and the popularity of North America and Europe has been rising.

The Golden Week period this year is basically a five consecutive day holiday from May 2nd to 6th, making it possible to have a long break depending on how you combine your vacation days. However, the trend of spreading out travel before and after Golden Week to avoid crowds and high prices continues.

Overall, there is a clear trend of maintaining travel budgets at roughly the same level as the previous year, while prioritizing extraordinary experiences and time with family.

JTB survey results show the today’s trends

According to the JTB survey, the ratio of people having the same travel budget as a year ago was 48.7%, while the ratio of those intending to increase travel budget was 11.9%.

For selection of destinations, 15.1% answered that they choose a safe and clean destination.

The survey results also show that the values people seek in travel differ significantly across generations. Seniors aged 60 and over tend to prefer trips that learn about local history and nature, while younger generations aged 29 and under prioritize self-recovery and hobby-oriented experiences, such as ‘fandom activities,’ ‘digital detox’ and ‘sleep tourism.’

JTB analyzed that consumers value unique experiential value that aligns with their interests, and travel is evolving into a diverse activity that reflects individual lifestyles.