Travel Trends for Golden Week 2026 (April 25 - May 7)

JTB has compiled the travel trend forecast for "People taking trips of one night or more during Golden Week (GW) <April 25 - May 7, 2026>". This report is estimated based on a questionnaire survey conducted by the JTB Group, combined with various economic trends, industry trends, transportation and tourism-related data, accommodation booking status, and various awareness surveys. This survey has been conducted continuously since 1969.

**Backed by steady travel sentiment and favorable calendar days, the number of travelers increases, while average planned travel expenses remain on par with the previous year.**

**Domestically, short-term, nearby destinations, and personal car use are increasing; people are finding ways to enjoy themselves while keeping costs down despite high prices.**

**Overseas trips are mostly 3 to 5 nights, with South Korea, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia being popular.**

**● Total GW travelers: 24.47 million (101.9% vs previous year)** **　Total travel consumption: 1,287.6 billion yen (101.1% vs previous year)** **● Domestic travel: 23.9 million travelers (101.7%), average planned expense 46,000 yen (97.9%), travel consumption 1,099.4 billion yen (99.5%)** **● Overseas travel: 572,000 travelers (108.5%), average planned expense 329,000 yen (102.2%), travel consumption 188.2 billion yen (110.9%)**

[Domestic Travel] ➤ The number of travelers shows a slight increase due to a favorable calendar and steady travel appetite. ➤ Average planned expenses remain high due to inflation but decreased slightly due to shorter trip durations. ➤ Destinations are mostly close-by within the residential area for short periods; short-distance trips by private car are increasing. ➤ Travel purposes include "spending time with family," "eating and enjoying local flavors," and "relaxing and taking it easy."

[Overseas Travel] ➤ The number of travelers is increasing, boosted by the recovery of international flights exceeding pre-COVID levels and favorable calendar days. ➤ Average planned expenses slightly increased due to longer stays and the effects of a weak yen and high prices. ➤ Destinations are relatively close, such as South Korea, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia; Europe and North America also remain persistently popular.

**1. This Year's GW Calendar and Travel Trends**

The GW calendar for 2026 features a 5-day consecutive holiday from May 2 (Sat) to May 6 (Wed, substitute holiday). Taking April 30 (Thu) and May 1 (Fri) off creates an 8-day weekend, taking May 7 (Thu) and May 8 (Fri) off creates a 9-day weekend, and combining them all results in 12 or more consecutive days off. The calendar is structured in a way that makes it easy to take long consecutive holidays depending on how days are combined. Here, we present the GW 2026 (April 25 - May 7) return...