Weak Yen Expected to Reduce Japan's Summer Overseas Travel by Nearly 9%

Overseas travel from Japan during this year's summer holiday season is expected to decline 8.8 percent to approximately 2.17 million travelers, marking the first year-on-year decrease since international travel rebounded after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023, according to projections by JTB Corp.

A traveler departs from a Japanese airport as outbound travel is expected to decline because of the weak yen and higher costs.

The forecast, reported by Kyodo News and Mainichi Japan, covers the period from July 15 to Aug. 31.

JTB said the weak yen and rising travel costs are discouraging long-haul trips to destinations such as North America and Australia. Domestic tourism is also expected to remain subdued as inflation prompts many consumers to limit discretionary spending.

Average overseas travel spending is projected to increase 6.3 percent to approximately 323,000 yen (about $2,000) per traveler. Higher aviation fuel surcharges, driven by rising fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East, are also contributing to higher travel costs.