Japanese Summer Overseas Travel to Fall 8.8% to 2.17 Million as Yen Hits 162 per Dollar
Updated
Updated · asiae.co.kr · Jul 2
Japanese Summer Overseas Travel to Fall 8.8% to 2.17 Million as Yen Hits 162 per Dollar
1 articles · Updated · asiae.co.kr · Jul 2
Summary
JTB forecasts 2.17 million Japanese will travel abroad between July 15 and late August, down 8.8% from a year earlier and the first summer decline since post-pandemic travel recovered in 2023.
162 yen per dollar and higher airline fuel surcharges after the Middle East crisis have pushed average overseas trip costs up 6.3% to 323,000 yen per person.
South Korea leads destination preferences at 26.2%, followed by Taiwan at 16.2%, as travelers favor nearby markets with cheaper airfares; China drew only 10.4%, about half its usual share.
69 million domestic trips are also projected for the holiday season, down 4.4%, indicating inflation is curbing leisure spending at home as well as abroad.
Record inbound tourism is moving the other way: Kyoto has lifted its lodging tax ceiling to 10,000 yen, and accommodation-tax municipalities across Japan have jumped to 62 from 17.