[2026 Golden Week Travel Awareness Survey] Over 80% "Forego" Travel This GW, Revealing a "Nesting" Trend

Impact Field Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kiyoto Sagae; hereinafter "Impact Field"), a consolidated subsidiary of Impact Holdings Co., Ltd. developing the field marketing business, conducted an "Awareness Survey on Golden Week (GW) Travel in 2026" targeting 548 registered staff members of the job introduction site "MediF".

This survey revealed a reality that can be called a "polarization" of travel consumption: while many people are reluctant to travel during the GW period to avoid crowds, the demographic that does travel seeks "experiences that can only be had there" and tends to spend more budget and time. We will analyze the insights that differ by generation regarding the values of travel, which provide hints for upcoming GW sales strategies.

Survey Results Summary

• Point 1: The "Not traveling during GW" faction overwhelmingly wins at over 80%. The common reason across all generations is "crowds".

• Point 2: Why not go? Young people cite "time performance", while seniors cite "cost performance" and "healing". Values between generations are brought to light.

• Point 3: The "Going" faction is oriented towards "experiential consumption". They prioritize "experiential value", and both budgets and number of nights stayed are on an increasing trend.

Investigating whether there are plans to travel during GW, by age group.

In response to the question, "Do you have any plans to travel during GW?", 82.2% overall answered "No (Not going)". Looking by age group, 74.1% of people in their 30s (the lowest percentage) and 100% of those in their 20s answered that they are "not going", indicating a prominent trend of refraining from travel during the long holiday. As for the "reason for not going", "wanting to avoid crowds" ranked at the top across all age groups, strongly showing a desire to avoid congestion and spend time comfortably.

"Crowds" are the main factor for not traveling.

Reasons for not traveling showed distinct characteristics by age group. For those in their 20s to 50s, "having work or schedule constraints" increased as age advanced, reflecting the busy lives of the working generation. On the other hand, for those in their 60s and above, "wanting to relax slowly at home" and "high travel costs" increased. Amid the impact of rising prices, the values of the senior demographic, who prioritize mental and physical relaxation over hectic travel, became visible.

What people seek in travel is "Destinations/Tourist Spots"; budgets and planned nights change by age group.

When asking the demographic who answered they are "Going" on a GW trip what they emphasize when selecting a travel destination, "destinations/tourist spots (having a place they really want to go to or an experience they want to do)" ranked top across all generations. From these results, it is clear that the traveling demographic is strongly seeking not just simple sightseeing, but "experiential value (experiential consumption)" that can only be obtained there.

Budgets and the number of nights stayed tend to increase with age. Particularly from the 40s onwards, the percentage of "4 nights or more" increases, and the demographic spending a budget of "50,000 yen or more" per person also becomes thicker. This suggests an awareness of "selective consumption", where if they are going to travel, they want to spend both time and money pursuing the "quality of the trip".

Summary

This survey revealed that consumer behavior during the 2026 Golden Week is heavily polarized into the "nesting faction" who want to avoid crowds and spend time quietly, and the "particular experience faction" who want to have a special experience even if it takes time and money.

These results provide important implications not only for the travel and leisure industries but also for the retail and service industries heading into the GW sales season. Rather than standardized mass marketing, personalized approaches tailored to diversifying needs—such as "proposing hidden spots avoiding crowds," "luxurious products and services to enjoy at home," and "recommending staggered travel plans"—are considered to hold the key to future business success.

Survey Overview

Survey Method: Internet survey
Survey Region: 47 prefectures nationwide
Survey Target: Men and women aged 20 to 79 registered on the job introduction site "MediF"
Survey Period: March 17 (Tue) to 18 (Wed), 2026
Valid Responses: 545 samples
* The figures in the charts may not always perfectly match the totals due to rounding.

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Impact Field Co., Ltd. Company Profile

Company Name: Impact Field Co., Ltd. (Consolidated Subsidiary of Impact Holdings Co., Ltd.)
Representative: President and CEO Kiyoto Sagae
Established: February 2004
Capital: 100 million yen
Headquarters Location: ARK Mori Building 23F, 1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Business Description: Field marketing business, data marketing business, staffing service business, sales promotion business, etc.
Web URL: https://field.impact-h.co.jp/

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Web URL: https://medif.jp/

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