Japanese travel agency JTB forecast on December 4 that the number of Japanese traveling abroad during the year-end and New Year holidays will reach 1 million, a 32% increase from the previous year and roughly 90% of pre-pandemic levels.
The growth is being driven primarily by wealthy travelers benefiting from asset gains fueled by the stock market rally.
Many of them are opting for long-haul, high-priced trips to Europe and the United States, creating a clear polarization with travelers choosing low-cost, short-duration trips to nearby destinations.
Despite the Chinese government’s advisory urging citizens to “exercise caution when traveling to Japan” amid deteriorating bilateral relations, Japanese travel demand to China appears relatively resilient.
Japan’s two major airlines, ANA and JAL, both said they have seen no significant changes in bookings for China routes over the next three months.
Tour products offered by Hankyu Travel, including packages with tickets to Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland, have become popular among Japanese families, with bookings for trips to mainland China more than tripling.
Domestic travel during the year-end and New Year period is projected to reach 38.86 million trips, up 2% year on year.
Although the number of Chinese visitors — who typically account for around 20% of Japan’s inbound tourists — has declined, there has been no noticeable downward pressure on hotel prices in Japan so far.
