Summer Travel From Japan Expands As Global Destinations Regain Popularity

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

After a several quiet pandemic summers of travel restrictions and pandemic uncertainty, Japanese travelers are again ready to discover the world. Seasoned world travelers and first-time adventurers alike, more and more citizens are leaving the country for international travel in 2025. Whether it’s a solo trip around Europe, a family getaway in Hawaii, a cultural vacation to South Korea, it appears that the summer travel season is set to be one of the best in years.

Traveling Abroad This Summer:

2.44 Million JTB Expected to report on Monday that 2.44 million Japanese travelers will go abroad from July 20 to August 31, a decrease of 2.3 percent from the same period a year ago, said Katsunori Matsui, of JTB.

Japanese travel agency JTB Corporation estimates that 2.44 million Japanese will travel outbound between July 15th and August 31st, 2025, a 20.8% increase compared to last summer. This surge represents a substantial rebound for outbound travel, which has recovered more slowly than the domestic tourism sector after the pandemic.

JTB also projects the aggregate number of outbound travelers the entire year will reach 14.1 million with average per-person travel spending on overseas trips of ¥334,100, growing by 6.2% compared to the same period a year ago. Overall, spending from outbound travel is expected to reach ¥4.71 trillion, a 15.2 percent increase from the previous year.

Yen Steadies as Bonuses Add to Confidence

There are several ingredients driving this outbound drive. Among the most important is the stabilization of the Japanese yen. After falling sharply at times in recent years, the currency has steadied of late, providing more financial certainty to travelers planning trips abroad.

In addition, summer bonuses at companies appear to be on an uptrend, which will bring about an improvement in disposable income for households. This economic growth is giving consumers the ability to choose more luxury or longer international trips. Travel styles are changing too, as more people prefer customized itineraries and deeper cultural exploration to old-fashioned package tours.

Top Destinations:

Under its JTB’s report, short-haul destinations such as South Korea and Taiwan dominated the list again, as they are geographically close and share similar culture. But there is significant expansion in interest for long-haul tours, particularly to Europe, Southeast Asia and the mainland United States.

This variety of travel destinations is indicative of a growing level of confidence for Japanese people heading overseas. More people are now willing to invest both time and money in exploring different cultures, climates and cuisines. Long-haul travel is particularly popular among Gen Z and millennial travelers, who are hungry (literally) for authentic, Instagram-worthy experiences that combine food, art and interaction with locals.

Gen Z Travel Trends That Are Reshaping the Industry

The generation leading travel’s resurgence To discuss travel’s rising tide is to turn the conversation to Generation Z. JTB’s consumer research tells us that Gen Z travellers are encouraging one another to get out, relish viral-friendly experiences and self-improvement. Women of this age bracket are most interested in going to trendy restaurants and famous tourist spots, while men prefer to embark on solo trips, outdoor activities, and interest-specific travels.

This group is also less dependent on tours, more inclined to develop a travel plan using their apps, influencer content and online communities. Airlines and travel agents are also starting to respond, becoming more flexible, interactive and personalised.

Domestic Travel Continues to Boom, but It’s Slower Domestic travel, which has been lifting the recovery in the tourism sector, remained robust in 2021, but the pace of growth was slowing.

And as outbound travel ramps up, domestic travel remains strong. The average spending per domestic traveler is estimated at ¥47,800, resulting in a total domestic tourism spending figure of ¥14.59 trillion, up 3.8 percent.

As domestic travel had already recovered to a large extent in recent years, the slower growth says more about a new direction toward international exploration. But even now, rural regions and small-scale prefectures are gathering interest in the wake of region revival projects and local interactivities.

Government Data Backs the Trend

The latest data of Immigration Services Agency, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) support JTB’s estimates. And in April 2025, more than 1 million travelers from Japan left there, surpassing both the numbers of April 2024 and April 2019. The top three destinations for outbound tourists were South Korea (258,000), the US (124,000) and Thailand (58,000).

Meanwhile, inbound tourism is hot. In April 2025, Japan saw 3.91 million foreign tourists, or a jump of 28.5 percent from the previous year. This surge is catalysing the wider travel and hospitality market, further boosting Japan’s position as one of the world’s top outbound and inbound tourism markets.

Sustainability and Overtourism Concerns

As travel grows, the Japanese national government and local governments are beginning to get more concerned about over tourism — especially Kyoto, Tokyo and Mt. Fuji. New regulations aimed at fostering sustainable tourism such as a visitor ceiling, fees and off-peak deals are being rolled out. The aim is to drive the travel demand more evenly, easing the pressure on heavily visited areas.

With Japan targeting up to 60 million inbound tourists a year by 2030, it is equally important to manage the outbound flow in order to sustain balance and regional equity for the sector.

What Lies Ahead?

Looking to the future, travel industry insiders said outbound travel from Japan could recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2026. Boosting income levels, firm exchange rates and changing tastes for travel are all fuelling growth over the long term. This is combined with the rise of digital services, visa reforms and budget airlines, opening up international travel to more and more people.

For now, the prospects are overwhelmingly good. An expected 14.1 million outbound and 305 million domestic trips will be taken in 2025 and the Japanese travel market is going to post one of its best performances in more than half a decade.

Reconnecting With the World

Japanese travelers ranging from young solo adventurers to retired couples are seizing the opportunity to re-connect with the world this summer. Be it the long-delayed honeymoon, the overdue family reunion or the whim-of-the-moment adventure; the ability to travel feels more precious than ever. As suitcases are packed, itineraries prepared and boarding passes printed, it is evident: Japan’s great travel comeback is upon us — and it is universal in the truest sense.