HIS Golden Week Travel Booking Trends

H.I.S. Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter referred to as HIS) has compiled the following travel trends based on booking statuses for Golden Week (April 24 to May 6, 2026, hereinafter GW).

【Survey Method】

Survey Date: March 23, 2026

Target: Those who booked travel with HIS for departure dates between April 24 and May 6, 2026

Eligible Products: HIS tours, dynamic packages, airline tickets (excluding accommodation only)

*Calculated based on the number of booked individuals, excluding cancellations, as of the survey date.

Market Environment

The recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East has led to irregular situations, including the closure of some airspace and airports, and cancellations by Middle Eastern airlines. On the other hand, airlines outside the region are operating as usual under the highest priority of ensuring safety, by changing routes and other measures. Concerns remain that the impact of rising crude oil prices could lead to an increase in travel prices due to future fuel surcharge hikes.

Holiday Calendar

This year's GW has a favorable holiday calendar, with a 5-day consecutive holiday in May due to weekends and public holidays aligning. In April, holidays are scattered, but if 4 days of paid leave are taken during weekdays, a maximum of 12 consecutive days off is possible.

Summary

1. International travel bookings increased favorably by 126.7% year-on-year. The average price was 218,400 yen, up 104.3% year-on-year.

2. Domestic travel bookings increased favorably by 138.3% year-on-year. The average price was 92,600 yen, down 97.5% year-on-year.

3. The most popular departure date for both international and domestic travel was May 2nd (Saturday).

International Travel

Overall international travel bookings increased significantly by 126.7% year-on-year. The average price rose to 218,400 yen, up 104.3% year-on-year, suggesting a recovery in higher-priced and long-distance travel. This year's favorable holiday calendar made itineraries linked to the 5-day consecutive holiday popular, with the most departures on May 2nd (Saturday), followed by April 29th (Wednesday) and May 1st (Friday). By region, the Asia region accounts for a large volume, driving the overall trend. Among them, the East Asia region is the most popular, accounting for 41.2% of the total.

Long-haul routes are also performing well, with the Europe region showing a 134.2% increase year-on-year. On the other hand, the Middle East region saw a decrease to 82.6% of the previous year. While the Middle East region accounted for 3.6% of total bookings during last year's GW, which is not a large share, we believe it is necessary to closely monitor future trends.

As for destinations, nearby popular cities dominate the top ranks, but Jeju Island rapidly climbed to 5th place. One of the reasons behind this is thought to be the multiple port calls by large cruise ships carrying several thousand passengers at once. High-value cruise travel is performing well this GW, with departures from Japan increasing by 354.1% year-on-year.

Domestic Travel

Overall domestic travel bookings increased significantly by 138.3% year-on-year, similar to international travel. The average price was 92,600 yen, down 97.5% year-on-year. As with international travel trends, May 2nd (Saturday), the first day of the 5-day consecutive holiday, saw the most departures, followed by May 3rd (Sunday) and April 29th (Wednesday), indicating that many people depart on the first day of a holiday or on weekdays between holidays.

The top destinations were similar to previous years. Among the top 10, all prefectures except Osaka Prefecture, which had special demand due to the Expo last year, saw an increase in bookings compared to the previous year. Okinawa Prefecture, which ranked first, led the strong performance of domestic travel with a 149.1% increase year-on-year. Although Okinawa's average price of 106,600 yen is higher compared to other top prefectures, travel enthusiasm remains strong.

HIS GW Special Feature https://www.his-j.com/season/goldenweek/

*When quoting data, please cite the source (HIS "2026 GW Travel Booking Trends").