Golden Week 2026 Travel Booking Trends: Overseas Travel to Europe and Asia Performing Well at 1.1x YoY, Domestic Travel Exceeds Last Year Nationwide at 1.3x YoY
Hankyu Travel International announced the Golden Week 2026 travel trends. With up to 12 consecutive holidays, overseas travel has grown 1.1 times and domestic travel 1.3 times compared to the previous year, showing polarized demand between affordable short trips and premium long-haul vacations.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 7, 2026 at 23:50
- 🔍 Collected: April 7, 2026 at 15:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 20:05 (316h 35m after Collected)
Hankyu Travel International Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka; President: Toyoharu Yamakawa) has summarized travel trends based on the reservation status for overseas and domestic travel during the Golden Week holidays (departures between April 24 and May 6, 2026).
While high prices continue, there are concerns that the recent tense situation in the Middle East and soaring crude oil prices will affect consumers' willingness to buy. Although the external environment is changing in this way, the 2026 Golden Week allows for up to 12 consecutive holidays, resulting in strong performance with overseas travel at 1.1 times and domestic travel at 1.3 times the previous year's level.
[Overseas Travel]
Departure date peaks: (1) Wednesday, April 29, (2) Saturday, May 2, (3) Sunday, May 3
The top destinations for overseas travel were 1st Europe, 2nd Taiwan, and 3rd South Korea. Due to the weak yen and high fuel costs, demand is growing for Asian regions with a sense of "short distance and affordability," such as Taiwan and South Korea. On the other hand, demand for Europe, which is far away but rich in world-class tourism resources, is also recovering, with Italy and Spain taking the top spots by country.
In terms of year-on-year growth rate, Singapore was 1st, Latin America 2nd, and India 3rd. In the leading destination, Singapore, "Fly & Cruise," where travelers fly to the local area and tour the surroundings on a cruise ship, is gaining support. In second place, Latin America, 8 to 10-day tour itineraries are performing well. Because it involves long-distance travel, demand for business class and premium economy class is also growing.
Departure date peaks are concentrated on Wednesday, April 29, Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3. There is a polarizing trend in demand, with a movement to select expensive "long-distance travel" utilizing the long holidays, and a movement toward short-term "short-distance travel" emphasizing affordability, mainly in the Asian region during the latter half of the holidays.
[Domestic Travel]
Departure date peaks: (1) Sunday, April 26, (2) Sunday, May 3, (3) Saturday, April 25
The top destinations for domestic travel were 1st Kinki, 2nd Hokuriku/Koshinetsu, and 3rd Kanto. Travel demand in and around major metropolitan areas such as Kinki and Kanto is booming, with day-trip bus tours in particular growing significantly to 1.4 times the previous year's level.
In terms of year-on-year growth rate, Okinawa was 1st, Kyushu 2nd, and Hokuriku/Koshinetsu 3rd. In Okinawa, demand is increasing, mainly for individual travel, and island-hopping tours are also popular. Hokuriku/Koshinetsu ranked high in both the number of reservations and the growth rate. In this area, trips aimed at the spectacular limited-time "Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Yuki-no-Otani Walk" are performing well.
Departure date peaks are Sunday, April 26, Sunday, May 3, and Saturday, April 25, showing a tendency to split into the first half and the second half of the consecutive holidays. In particular, reservations for day-trip bus tours are concentrated on these three days, suggesting a high demand for "short-term, close-to-home" trips, centered around families.
While high prices continue, there are concerns that the recent tense situation in the Middle East and soaring crude oil prices will affect consumers' willingness to buy. Although the external environment is changing in this way, the 2026 Golden Week allows for up to 12 consecutive holidays, resulting in strong performance with overseas travel at 1.1 times and domestic travel at 1.3 times the previous year's level.
[Overseas Travel]
Departure date peaks: (1) Wednesday, April 29, (2) Saturday, May 2, (3) Sunday, May 3
The top destinations for overseas travel were 1st Europe, 2nd Taiwan, and 3rd South Korea. Due to the weak yen and high fuel costs, demand is growing for Asian regions with a sense of "short distance and affordability," such as Taiwan and South Korea. On the other hand, demand for Europe, which is far away but rich in world-class tourism resources, is also recovering, with Italy and Spain taking the top spots by country.
In terms of year-on-year growth rate, Singapore was 1st, Latin America 2nd, and India 3rd. In the leading destination, Singapore, "Fly & Cruise," where travelers fly to the local area and tour the surroundings on a cruise ship, is gaining support. In second place, Latin America, 8 to 10-day tour itineraries are performing well. Because it involves long-distance travel, demand for business class and premium economy class is also growing.
Departure date peaks are concentrated on Wednesday, April 29, Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3. There is a polarizing trend in demand, with a movement to select expensive "long-distance travel" utilizing the long holidays, and a movement toward short-term "short-distance travel" emphasizing affordability, mainly in the Asian region during the latter half of the holidays.
[Domestic Travel]
Departure date peaks: (1) Sunday, April 26, (2) Sunday, May 3, (3) Saturday, April 25
The top destinations for domestic travel were 1st Kinki, 2nd Hokuriku/Koshinetsu, and 3rd Kanto. Travel demand in and around major metropolitan areas such as Kinki and Kanto is booming, with day-trip bus tours in particular growing significantly to 1.4 times the previous year's level.
In terms of year-on-year growth rate, Okinawa was 1st, Kyushu 2nd, and Hokuriku/Koshinetsu 3rd. In Okinawa, demand is increasing, mainly for individual travel, and island-hopping tours are also popular. Hokuriku/Koshinetsu ranked high in both the number of reservations and the growth rate. In this area, trips aimed at the spectacular limited-time "Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Yuki-no-Otani Walk" are performing well.
Departure date peaks are Sunday, April 26, Sunday, May 3, and Saturday, April 25, showing a tendency to split into the first half and the second half of the consecutive holidays. In particular, reservations for day-trip bus tours are concentrated on these three days, suggesting a high demand for "short-term, close-to-home" trips, centered around families.