Trends in International Travel Reservations for the Year-End and New Year Season

Overview

With the year-end and New Year period approaching, HIS (H.I.S. Co., Ltd.) has released insightful findings about international travel booking trends for the travel window from December 26, 2025, to January 4, 2026. Based on data collected on November 7, 2025, the report encompasses bookings across HIS's tours, dynamic packages, and tickets, highlighting any cancellations.

Market Environment

The global tourism landscape remains influenced by geopolitical uncertainties, such as the ongoing situation in Ukraine and Israel, compounded by trade challenges arising from U.S. tariffs. These factors have contributed to currency fluctuations, particularly, a continued depreciation of the yen.
International travel is on the rise, with a reported 5% year-on-year increase in international tourist arrivals during the first half of 2025, signaling a thriving rebound in tourism revenues that have surpassed pre-COVID levels according to the UN Tourism Organization.

Key Takeaways

1. The number of travelers booking overseas trips is maintaining a strong performance at 99.1% of last year's levels, despite having nine consecutive holidays last year.
2. The average cost per trip has risen to ¥248,000, a 105.0% increase compared to the previous year.
3. The peak day for departures will be December 27, 2025, with the returning peak on January 3, 2026.

Popular Destinations

Travelers have shown a strong preference for East Asia, which makes up 58.6% of all booked destinations, with East Asia alone accounting for 31.9%. The proximity of these destinations continues to attract travelers. Interestingly, there has been an uptick in reservations for long-haul destinations, reflecting a gradual increase in travelers heading to Europe (+1.7%) and the Middle East (+0.9%).

The consistent sequence of weekends has positively impacted destination choices significantly.

Price Influences

The average trip cost has increased by 105.6% compared to last year, primarily due to rising numbers of bookings for Europe and the Middle East, alongside the depreciation of the yen, resulting in elevated local prices. The euro's appreciation against the yen has notably influenced the average price.

Emerging Attractions

Among the top destinations showcasing a significant increase in bookings is Cairo, Egypt, bolstered by the grand opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum on November 1, leading to a remarkable 194.2% increase in bookings from the previous year. This figure stands at 219.9% compared even to pre-pandemic numbers in 2019. Guam, ranking fifth among overseas booking hotspots, has also shown a solid increase of 168.8%, thanks to charters by HIS during the December 29-31 period.

Additionally, Barcelona is becoming increasingly popular, with projections of 152.4% growth in traveler interest around the 2026 completion of the Sagrada Família's main tower. This year will mark 100 years since the passing of architect Antoni Gaudí.
Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City and the beach resort of Cebu in the Philippines are also notable mentions due to increased low-cost carrier flights, showing double-digit growth figures. Specifically, bookings from Nagoya to Ho Chi Minh surged to 250% year-on-year, while Cebu from Osaka increased by 211.9%.

Departure Trends

Travelers are favoring early departures in December, with over half (50.7%) of bookings for the travel period made for three days from December 26 to 28. The busiest day for outbound travel will be December 27, 2025, while January 3, 2026, is expected to see the highest return traffic.

The demographics of travelers indicate that families with children represent 37.2% of bookings, and couples make up 21.9% as family trips gain popularity during peak holiday periods. Notably, 20% of the travelers belong to the 50s age group, with 19.2% in their 20s.

For those seeking additional information about HIS's year-end and New Year travel offerings, more details can be found on their official website HIS Year-End and New Year Specials.

For any inquiries, contact HIS’s Public Relations office at 050-1746-4177.