Society

Overseas bookings skyrocket as 10-day Golden Week offers Japan rare chance to enjoy longer trips

Feb 16 (Japan Times) - Reservations for travel overseas are surging for this year's 10-day Golden Week period, during which the Imperial succession is set to take place, according to a JTB Corp. official.

As of late January, the number of overseas reservations in the period from April 27 to May 6 had jumped 2.5-fold from a year before, the official said.

Many package tours have already sold out at leading travel agencies, which are rushing to arrange additional tours using chartered flights.

This year's Golden Week includes 10 straight days of vacation including May 1, which has been designated as a one-off national holiday for when Crown Prince Naruhito will ascend the throne, following Emperor Akihito's abdication April 30.

At H.I.S. Co., the number of reservations for overseas trips during Golden Week had more than tripled from the previous year as of mid-January.

Golden Week trips usually go on sale after the New Year's holidays. This time, however, "trips to popular destinations were mostly sold out in mid-November last year," an H.I.S. official said.

For those without any workdays during this year's Golden Week, it is easier to plan ahead and fix travel dates earlier than usual, the official said.

Reservations have increased for trips to distant locations such as Europe and the United States, which tend to be avoided during short holiday periods.

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