Report

2023.05.15
ベルトラ株式会社

Now that Golden Week is over, Japanese travelers are finally beginning to plan their summer vacations abroad this year. In this report, we present Veltra's latest insights into the Japanese international travel market, along with trends in popular destinations and activities for this summer (June through August 2023). These insights are based on current bookings, and we hope that they will be of great interest to our valued partners.

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Top destinations for summer 2023

Oahu Island in Hawaii and Paris in France topped the list, which are also popular among returning visitors, indicating that fans are supporting their strong popularity. Also noteworthy is that the number of bookings for destinations where visitors can experience the wilderness, such as Cairns (Australia), famous for the Great Barrier Reef, and Las Vegas (USA), where tours to the Grand Canyon National Park are offered, have risen significantly in the rankings compared to 2019. This may be a reflection of the desire to free oneself from the stagnation of a long-lasting life with a mask in Japan and to enjoy vacations to the fullest.

Top Activities for summer 2023 by region

Tours that explore iconic destinations like Mont Saint-Michel and the Grand Canyon, both of which are recognized as World Heritage sites, are currently leading the way in bookings. Additionally, there is a growing interest in local tours and activities that provide opportunities to immerse oneself in the beauty of the great outdoors. It is evident that the style of travel is evolving from the conventional approach of adding side trips to one's destination, to a more intentional and experience-driven approach where travelers meticulously plan their trips around the desired experiences they seek at their chosen destination.

VELTRA Recovery Forecast for Japanese outbound market

We anticipate a gradual and sustained recovery in the Japanese overseas travel market this year. In addition to the sales plan outlined in Scenario 1 (projecting an average recovery rate of 47%), we also consider Scenario 2 (projecting an average recovery rate of approximately 60%). Scenario 2 takes into account external factors such as the recent downgrade of COVID-19 to a Class 5 infection level by the Japanese government. Looking ahead, we forecast a recovery rate exceeding 80% of 2019 levels from 2024 onwards.

In March 2023, there were 694,300 departures from Japan, representing a 36% recovery compared to the same period in 2019. Notably, Veltra's recovery of 45% during this period surpassed the market's rebound and has been consistent since February.

Join VELTRA at ARIVAL | Activate Bangkok, 12-14 June 2023

We are attending the Arival |Activate event, 12-14 June 2023 in Bangkok—and YOU are invited to join us!

Reopen & grow your Tours, Activities & Attractions business at THE Conference made for you! Come join us in Bangkok to meet major distributors, network with your supplier peers, and position yourself for post-pandemic success in the Asia Pacific market. 

We’ve partnered with Arival to offer you a 10% discount code
Use code PROMO23VLA when registering (Discount does not apply to Arival Insider Pro Access Members & cannot be combined)

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For inquiries regarding this report, please contact Taka Mitamura at pr.jp@veltra.com.