The number of Japanese traveling overseas during the New Year's holidays will hit a record high of 688,000, marking the first increase in four years, according to an estimate released Tuesday by Japan Travel Bureau Inc.
The nation's largest travel bureau attributed the surge to a stronger economy and a favorable calendar that will enable salaried workers to take a long vacation.
The estimate is based on a JTB survey of 2,200 people aged 18 or older, 59.1 percent of whom responded.
Of the respondents who had no holiday travel plans, 19.7 percent cited a tight household budget, down 6.5 points from last year, while 9.2 percent pointed to worries about the future of the economy, down 2.7 points.
People citing economic conditions as the reason for not taking holiday trips declined for the first time in three years, according to JTB.
The number of domestic and overseas travelers will reach 29.92 million from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, up 8.5 percent from last year. The average tourist plans to spend 41,194 yen, also up 10.9 percent, JTB said.