Japan is currently experiencing a travel boom, with visitor numbers officially exceeding pre-pandemic levels as of October 2023. It's a destination on the radar of many travel-based companies, and the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) recently surveyed their Discovery loyalty program members on where they're dreaming of visiting. Japan and Thailand jointly topped the list as the most popular destinations for 2024, indicating it's going to be another exciting year ahead.
The survey also looked into the motivations and and inspirations for traveling, and social media was the number one source. In fact, a massive three quarters of survey respondents mentioned that they visit new places after seeing posts from people they follow. In addition, family travel and food-based breaks were two key trends that the survey identified, with the latter having overtaken wellness-based trips as the most sought-after type of vacation.
Many would agree that Japan presents some incredible experiences for the gastronomy-focused travelers out there, with everything from Michelin-starred eateries to quality street food available to enjoy. There are also a myriad of options to get hands-on with food experiences if cooking classes are of interest.
Interestingly, a big part of travel's resurgence is thanks to China, with respondents there planning to take between 6 and 7 leisure trips in the coming year.
If you're like the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) members and also appreciate social media for travel inspiration, be sure to follow our various SNS platforms:
- Japan Travel Facebook
- Japan Travel Instagram
- Japan Travel X
- Japan Travel Threads
- Japan Travel TikTok
- Japan Travel YouTube
Is social media also a driving factor in your own travel planning, or does something else inspire you to visit new places? Let us know in the comments below!
