What Kind of Person Travels Even If They Don’t Have the Money? The cruel gap between the “well-traveled” and the “lost 30 years” has widened.

Is “No Money” a Lie?

An article titled “Japanese people can no longer even go on domestic trips” became a hot topic the other day. The main reason for this is “lack of money,” but not a small number of people still enjoy traveling. During this year-end and New Year’s holidays, the number of overseas travelers increased 31.5% from the previous year to 1 million, about 90% of the number before the COVID-19 crisis, according to a forecast released earlier by the JTB. The number of domestic travelers is also expected to be 38.86 million, up 2.0% from the previous year.

This year-end and New Year’s holiday, with the calendar lined up well, with up to nine consecutive holidays (December 27-January 4), is an excellent opportunity for those who wish to take longer trips.

In fact, according to international flight reservations announced by ANA, reservations for Hawaii routes are the highest ever for the year-end and New Year period, and Asian destinations such as Bangkok, Singapore, and Seoul are doing well. While the yen’s depreciation and high prices will continue to be a topic of concern until the end of the year, there is also a “gap,” so to speak, in the number of people traveling overseas, which is 30% higher than last year.

The “obsession” of those who fly overseas for “extreme savings”.

Who are the people who actually “travel even though they can’t afford it”?

For example, there are people around me who save as much as possible for their daily living expenses and spend their monthly earnings on travel, which is their hobby. They buy their daily clothes at UNIQLO, GU, Shimamura, etc., and they refrain from eating out, cook their own meals, and pack their own lunches. They are very strict about what they pay for and what they do not pay for.

Others fly with low-cost carriers (LCCs) and stay in dormitories. Moreover, they shift their travel period from the peak season to a slightly later time of year. On the other hand, in Japan, there are those who say that they do not care about the means of transportation, and save money by taking overnight express buses.

In terms of overseas destinations, there is a trend among frequent travelers to choose countries and regions with low prices even with the current depreciation of the yen, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Eastern Europe. In Thailand, the exchange rate and prices have risen considerably to over 5 yen per baht, but five-star luxury hotels are still cheaper than those in Singapore and Hong Kong, and there are still hotel lovers who go there frequently.

Some people use their credit cards to pay for everyday purchases, accumulate points, and exchange them for airline miles to save money on airline tickets, while others save up for hotel stays and use them all at once during peak season trips. This is part of the so-called “poikatsu,” but if you can successfully save up not only for living expenses but also for transportation and utility expenses, you can save up a surprising amount of money over the course of a year, as “every little bit counts.

Travel for the purpose of “Poy Life” also has strong roots. These include visiting K-POP and Korean drama filming locations in Korea, as well as theme parks, live concerts, and sports games such as professional baseball and J-League within Japan. Although there are fewer Japanese on international flights today, there are many Japanese women who go to Korea every month or every few months for its thrust activities and cosmetic surgery, with the exception of Korean routes. There is also a tendency for people to pay more for travel that has a clear purpose.

Immersive Travel” and “AI Leave-it-to-Me Travel” to be Popular in ’26

There is no sign so far that the high prices of commodities and the weak yen will stop in ’26. In such a situation, it is interesting to see “trend predictions for ’26” released one after another by major online travel agencies (OTAs).

In October this year, Expedia Group, which includes Expedia and Hotels.com, announced the following destinations as “destinations that travelers around the world should know about before they become a hot topic: Big Sky in the U.S., Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, and Vietnam in the U.S.” and “Sardinia in Vietnam. Sardinia, Italy, Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, and Savoie, France.

The site also predicts the following trends: “sports travel” to watch the Olympics, “renovated travel stays” and “hotel hopping” at accommodations that have been renovated from historical buildings, and “location tours” to see the locations of movies and TV dramas.

A joint report by Trip.com and Google, “Why Travel?” also presented how travel will change in ’26. For example, the report introduces “AI-driven travel using technology,” in which travelers not only ask AI for recommendations but also design their own customized trip together; the “evolution from physical travel to ‘connected travel,'” in which travelers seek connections with people, places, and purposes through music and events; and a shift from travel to see to experience, such as “immersive travel. The report also describes the shift from “sightseeing travel” to “immersive travel,” in which travelers experience travel by experiencing it.

In addition, Booking.com, in its “10 Travel Trend Predictions for ’26,” cites “immersive fantasy travel in imaginary stories,” “next-generation stays with robots,” and “travel to confirm the true value of ‘kizuna’ (bonds). At the presentation held on November 20, it was mentioned that “ultra-personalized” travel would be the trend in ’26, and that in addition to “entertainment (guess what)” unique to Japan, “beauty and wellness” and “travel in search of tranquility” as a reaction to the overabundance of technology would also be featured.

The Cruel Disparity Widened During the “Lost 30 Years

During the past 30 years, known in Japan as the “lost 30 years,” most Japanese people have seen their wages rise but their take-home pay decrease as social insurance premiums, taxes, and other expenses are deducted from their paychecks, while prices of all kinds have been rising steadily. It is not that most Japanese do not want to travel, but rather that they do not have the financial means to do so.

Moreover, flights, hotels, and inns during the peak season are unusually expensive compared to the normal season. The work environment of Japanese people, which makes it difficult to take a large vacation only at certain times of the year, has remained almost unchanged over the past 30 years, and the diversification of vacations has not progressed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these factors have also contributed to the shift away from travel.

On the other hand, there has been a diversification of travel. In the past, it was standard to travel by tour and book tickets, airline tickets, and hotels through a travel agency, but nowadays people can make personal arrangements with their smartphones. Whether or not people are able to use these services is another factor that is widening the gap between the two.

Conditions for “Travel Winners” in ’26

The “guessing game” mentioned in the ’26 trend predictions is strong in every era. Korea is a neighboring country that is quick and easy to get to, airfare is inexpensive, and even with the recent depreciation of the yen, the Korean won has not appreciated as much as the dollar or the euro. Korea’s popularity, especially among Japanese women, is likely to continue.

Also, the use of “AI” to create travel plans is expected to increase in the future. While consulting with AI is not necessarily the best option, it may lead to savings not only in time, but also in overall travel costs.

In terms of travel transportation, the number of low-cost carriers (LCCs) has increased over the past decade, and air travel is now as affordable as bus travel. In addition, ride-sharing services such as “Uber” and “Grab,” which are cheaper than cabs, are becoming popular overseas. If you can master these services, you can save a lot of money on travel expenses.

There is no doubt that the hurdle to travel has been raised for Japanese people who now say they “don’t have money. However, if travel costs are a bottleneck, there are plenty of ways to save money. If the pre-COVID-19 crisis travel style remains the same, it will be tough, but if we can change our mindset even a little, there is still a possibility that we can continue to travel and enjoy our trips.