JTB has forecasted that the number of international travelers to Japan in 2026 is expected to reduce by 2.8% year on year to 41.4 million primarily because of a decrease in travelers from China and Hong Kong, while those from other source markets are expected to increase.
JTB also sees that travel consumption by international travelers is expected to increase by 0.6% to 9.6 trillion yen in total due to a rise in cost and an increase in travelers from Europe, U.S. and Australia who tend to stay longer.
報道資料より
The effects of boosting demand due to factors such as a weak yen, lower prices in Japan, and rising income levels in various countries and regions compared to pre-COVID-19 levels are expected to end, and the main driver of growth in 2026 will be a natural increase in international travel demand due to economic growth in various countries and regions, according to JTB.
From major cities to local areas
JTB sees that international travel demand in China will shift to other countries or regions than Japan, such as Southeast Asia.
In major cities, nights of travelers from Europe, U.S. and Australia will increase because they tend to stay longer. Also, new demand to choose the Hokuriku route has been seen when they travel from Tokyo to Kansai because the Hokuriku Shinkansen route was extended from Kanazawa to Tsuruga.
報道資料より
JTB pointed out that if yen becomes stronger, travelers from South Korea or Taiwan may choose cheaper destinations, like Southeast Asia countries.
JTB also sees that the number of overnight stays by international visitors to Japan is expected to fall below the previous year in some local regions due to a decline in the number of travelers from China and Hong Kong, however the ratio of travelers to local regions is expected to rise.
In addition, as the proportion of repeat visitors continues to increase, international visitors to Japan may shift their travel destinations from major cities to regional areas and narrow their focus to particular regional areas.
JTB booking status
Accommodation bookings from January to April 2026 on the JTB’s website "JAPANiCAN.com" for international visitors to Japan showed solid growth, with Taiwanese bookings up 161% and South Korean bookings up 138% compared to the same period last year, while the United States bookings remained roughly flat.
Popular destinations are Ishikawa, Mie, Nagano and Aichi for Taiwanese travelers and Hokkaido, Miyagi, Gunma, Nagano, Gifu and Hyogo for South Korean travelers. Among travelers from U.S., bookings in Shikoku increased by 240% year on year.
Regarding reservations at JTB Global Marketing & Travel, which specializes in inbound tourism to Japan, interest in Japan remains high in its core European and American markets, but there are signs that the growth in travel demand will slow down through 2026 due to the higher rate of increase in travel costs in Japan compared to other countries. Also, there are an tendency to avoid crowds and concerns about the summer heat among international travelers, according to JTB Global Marketing & Travel.
