Summer travel in Japan seen beating pre-COVID levels

ANA bookings up 3% from 2019, key shinkansen line plans record daily trips

A departure lobby for domestic flights at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. The rebound in travel has exacerbated the labor shortage in Japan's hospitality industry. (Photo by Yutaka Miyaguchi)

Nikkei staff writers

August 4, 2023 02:05 JST

TOKYO/KYOTO/NAHA, Japan -- Domestic travel in Japan is on track to potentially outpace pre-pandemic figures this summer, with reservations for flights, trains and hotels all surging compared with the same period last year.

Bookings for domestic flights during Japan’s Bon holidays in mid-August increased a combined 30% at All Nippon Airways and budget affiliate Peach, according to data released Thursday by parent ANA Holdings.