Cheaper Passports But to Spur Overseas Travel

Passport software charges had been considerably decreased in July. A ten-year passport had value ¥15,900 (about $102) when utilized for electronically and ¥16,300 ($105) at a counter by June. From July, the charges had been reduce by ¥7,000 ($45) in each circumstances.

At the identical time, the departure tax, charged to everybody leaving Japan, was raised from ¥1,000 ($6) to ¥3,000 on July 1.

Despite the modifications, a survey by web providers firm Ceres Inc. discovered that 80% of respondents had no plans to journey overseas. Six in 10 respondents stated rising costs had been an element behind their determination.

The on-line survey was carried out in mid-June, shortly earlier than the passport price reductions took impact, amongst 20,000 folks aged 12 and older throughout Japan.

Few Plan Overseas Trips

Asked about their plans to journey overseas this 12 months, the most important group, 55.7%, stated they’d no plans to acquire a passport or journey abroad.

Another 16.2% stated they already had a passport however had no explicit plans to journey overseas, whereas 9.5% stated they deliberate to acquire a passport due to the price discount however had no explicit plans to journey abroad.

Combined, these responses accounted for greater than 80% of respondents.

Meanwhile, amongst those that already had a passport, solely 14.0% stated they deliberate to journey overseas this 12 months, whereas 4.6% stated they needed to journey as quickly as they obtained a passport.

Rising Costs Affect Travel

The firm additionally examined the explanations behind these tendencies. Asked how rising costs had been presently affecting their journey plans, 60% of respondents stated they’d been affected.

The commonest impression was touring much less ceaselessly generally, cited by 37.9% of respondents. 

This was adopted by altering their vacation spot to a cheaper nation or area, or touring inside Japan, at 20.4%; reducing spending on sightseeing-related bills, together with meals and souvenirs, at 18.4%; selecting cheaper lodging, at 15.6%; and shortening the size of their keep, at 10.8%. Multiple solutions had been allowed.

Travel Budgets Shrink

Asked concerning the most quantity they’d spend on a visit, whether or not home or abroad, the commonest reply was lower than ¥50,000 ($320), at 42.9%.

This was adopted by ¥50,000 to lower than ¥100,000, at 20.1%, and ¥100,000 to lower than ¥200,000, at 14.1%. Another 10.1% stated they’d not journey in any respect.

Based on these findings, the corporate concluded that “rising prices are making it more difficult for people to travel.”

---

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: The Sankei Shimbun