According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on November 20, from the beginning of this year to last October, the country welcomed more than 30 million international visitors.
Specifically, in the period from January to October this year, Japan welcomed 30.19 million international visitors, slightly lower than the 31.88 million visitors recorded in the whole of 2019 - the time before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. This is also the first time the number of international visitors to Japan has exceeded 30 million since 2019.
Japan is becoming a dream destination for global tourists.
"Japan's famous autumn foliage attracted tourists last month from many markets including Asia, Europe and North America," JNTO said. As of October, 11 countries and regions had surpassed their annual record for the number of visitors to Japan.
South Korea topped the list of tourists to Japan with more than 732,000 visitors. China followed with about 580,000, Taiwan (China) with nearly 479,000 and the US with more than 278,000. The number of tourists from China more than doubled compared to the same period last year.
With rapid growth in recent months, the country's tourism industry promises to set new records.
The surge in international tourists has been a boon to Japan's tourism industry, with visitors spending an estimated 5.86 trillion yen ($37.72 billion) in the first nine months of 2024, surpassing the 5.3 trillion yen total expected for the entire year of 2023.
Events and preferential visa policies have contributed to attracting a large number of tourists to explore the beauty of the land of cherry blossoms.
The diversity of tourism products, from bustling modern cities such as Tokyo, Osaka to peaceful ancient villages, majestic mountains and unique traditional festivals, has turned Japan into an attractive destination for global tourists. The tourism industry, therefore, is increasingly asserting its position as one of the important driving forces for the country's economic growth.
The influx of millions of tourists each year not only brings in abundant foreign currency but also contributes to promoting the development of service and trade industries, creating many jobs and enhancing Japan's position on the world tourism map.
