In another week, we will usher in the May Day 5-day holiday, and everyone should have planned where to play!
But there are 2 days before and after the holiday to make up shifts, and there are 2 days in the holiday that are weekends, which is equivalent to only one day off, and was directly scolded by angry netizens on the hot search.
In contrast, the holidays in Japan next door are much more generous, with 3 consecutive holidays on April 27~29 and 4 consecutive holidays on May 3~6, without any compensatory holidays.
As the first Golden Week after the lifting of the epidemic movement restrictions, many Japanese office workers will also take 3 more days of annual leave, so that they can take up to 10 consecutive days off and go out to play, who can not envy!
According to a survey by JTB, Japan's largest travel agency, the total number of domestic travelers in Japan during this year's Golden Week will be as high as 22.8 million, with a total travel expenditure of 823.1 billion yen and an average travel cost of 36,100 yen per person.
The number of people flying by air has increased by 3.1 percentage points compared to last year, and long-distance travel is popular. According to the statistics of 11 major airlines in Japan, as of April 19, the number of domestic flights scheduled for April 27 ~ May 6 reached 2.62 million.
In addition to Japanese people, due to the sharp depreciation of the yen, there are many foreign tourists visiting Japan during this year's Golden Week, and it is even difficult to book accommodation and flights.
The yen exchange rate has fallen to about 1 US dollar = 154.9 yen on the 24th, continuously refreshing the depreciation level for the first time in 34 years since 1990, and the RMB is at a low level of about 4.68.
Based on the reservation status of the itinerary from April 26th ~ May 6th, the Largee Travel Group HIS has released the most popular travel destinations in Japan this year:
Okinawa Prefecture is in first place, followed by Hokkaido, Nagasaki Prefecture, and Tokyo, all of which are in the same order as last year, with Fukuoka Prefecture rising from 6th to 5th last year.
Shimane Prefecture is the number one travel destination that has risen sharply, and due to the fact that Izumo Taisha Shrine and other sacred places of prayer are more famous, travel reservations have increased by 73.7% compared to last year.
Reservations in Kagawa Prefecture increased by 27.7%, with mountains, seas and islands, beautiful scenery, and most importantly, prices are cheap even in peak season;
Kagoshima Prefecture has seen a 6.7% increase in reservations, and the islands, forests, hot springs, and other natural resources are abundant, and there are not many people, making it a great place to visit in the warm climate in spring and summer.
However, as more and more foreigners travel to Japan, the explosion of duty-free goods is also a headache for the Japanese government. In order to prohibit malicious scalping, Japan is currently discussing revising the system of exempting foreigners visiting Japan from consumption tax.
Currently, foreigners who come to Japan to make purchases can make purchases without paying consumption tax by showing their passports at duty-free shops, etc., and the purchase records are recorded electronically in their passports.
Although the Japanese government requires the purchaser to be obliged to show the passport at the airport customs, it is up to the customs to confirm that the physical goods have been taken out of Japan as needed. But in reality, many people leave the country without showing their passports and going through inspections.
For this reason, Japan plans to refund the tax after confirming the physical goods at the airport when leaving the country if the purchase amount is more than a certain amount. The system is expected to be finalized within the year and officially implemented in fiscal 2025.
Do you have any plans to travel to Japan in the near future?