This summer, fewer Japanese are expected to travel abroad for vacation. According to Yonhap News and Kyodo News, major Japanese travel agency JTB forecasts that 2.17 million Japanese will plan overseas trips from July 15 to the end of August, an 8.8% decrease from the same period last year.
The rise in overseas travel costs is attributed to the yen's value, which has fallen to 162 yen per dollar, the lowest level since December 1986. Additionally, the ongoing situation in the Middle East has led major airlines, including Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA), to increase fuel surcharges.
Kyodo News noted that this marks the first decline in overseas travelers since the COVID-19 pandemic eased in 2023.
The average cost of overseas travel per person is expected to rise by 6.3% from the previous year to approximately 323,000 yen (about $2,300).
For summer vacation destinations, South Korea ranks first with 26.2% of travelers choosing it, followed by Taiwan at 16.2%, as these countries offer relatively cheaper airfare. In contrast, only 10.4% of Japanese travelers plan to visit China, likely influenced by the ongoing tensions between the two nations.
With the yen's significant depreciation, many Japanese may hesitate to travel abroad, and the trend of increased domestic travel due to rising living costs is expected to continue. JTB anticipates that 69 million people will choose domestic destinations this summer, a 4.4% decrease from last year.
Conversely, the weak yen has led to a record number of foreign tourists visiting Japan. Popular tourist destinations, such as Kyoto, are implementing measures to address overtourism.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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