Domestic Travel in Japan Recovering to Pre-Pandemic Level

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:32 JST, July 11, 2023

The number of people who plan to travel in Japan during the summer vacation period, which is July 15-Aug. 31, is expected to reach 72.5 million, up 16.9% from last year, according to a survey of this summer’s travel plans by major travel agency JTB Corp. This would reach the pre-pandemic level of 2019.

The average amount spent per domestic trip is expected to rise to ¥40,000, the highest level since 2000, when comparisons were possible. The rising trend in hotel accommodation costs is considered to be a contributing factor. Regarding travel duration, respondents who plan to travel for three days and two nights accounted for 36.2%, followed by those who plan to travel for two days and one night at 32.6%.

The number of people who plan to travel overseas is expected to total 1.2 million. This is more than double the previous year, though still only 40% of the 2019 number. JTB believes this is because the number of international flights has not rebounded sufficiently, while the weak yen and high prices have placed a heavy burden on travelers from Japan. As for destinations, South Korea and Taiwan, which are close to Japan, are popular among respondents, showing a tendency to try to keep travel expenses low.