Japan is currently in the middle of the Golden Week holidays, which are consecutive public holidays that allow Japanese workers to take one of the longest breaks from work in the entire year. It’s common for family and friends to take trips during this time, both domestically and internationally. This year, the holiday falls between April 26 and May 6.
However, residents appear to be cutting back on holiday travel this year due to rising costs.
Last month, a survey by JTB Corp. estimated that the nation would see approximately 23.4 million travelers during the holiday, down 6.9% from about 25.2 million last year. They noted that rising inflation surrounding day-to-day goods, rising hotel costs, and rising airfares have deterred many of these travelers.
About 35% of respondents in the JTB poll cited “high travel costs” when asked why they won’t be traveling during Golden Week this year.
In an interview with AFP, Atsushi Tanaka, a tourism studies professor at Yamanashi University, said that “The biggest reason seems to be the inflation that has curtailed their willingness to spend lavishly.”
The weak Japanese yen also continues to have a large effect on Japan-originating international travel. Of the 23.4 million estimated Golden Week travelers, just 55k, or 2%, are estimated to travel internationally. This number is roughly half of the amount of international travel during 2019’s Golden Week holidays. Even so, it’s a 10% increase from last year.
On the other hand, Japan posted a record 10.5 million foreign visitors in Q1, and is on pace to hit a record 40 million this year. The nation is aiming for 60 million a year by 2030, a goal which will arguably be determined by the foreign exchange market over the next half decade.
All photos taken by the author.
