Japanese overseas travelers on summer vacation this year may rise 8.4 percent from the previous year to 2.44 million due to the nation's economic recovery and the yen's appreciation against other currencies, travel agency JTB Corp. forecast Friday.
Overseas summer travel demand between mid-July and the end of August is thus expected to increase for the second consecutive year.
By destination, the number of travelers to China is estimated to increase 14.8 percent to 418,000 due to the ongoing Shanghai World Expo. Those bound for South Korea may number 408,000, up 9.7 percent.
But travelers to Thailand are expected to decline 24.1 percent to 82,000 due to the recent antigovernment riots.
Hawaii-bound travelers are projected at 180,000, up 10.4 percent. Those traveling to Europe are estimated to increase 6.2 percent to 345,000.