Statistics released by the Japan National Tourism Organization show that the number of foreign visitors to Japan is increasing rapidly this year, with the number of visitors from January to September 2024 surpassing the total for the whole of 2023. Specifically, about 26.88 million foreign visitors came to Japan in the period from January to September 2024, up 54.7% year-on-year, higher than the 25.07 million visitors for the whole of 2023.
Last September witnessed a spectacular recovery of the Japanese tourism industry. With 2.87 million visitors, an increase of 31.5% over the same period last year, this number not only broke all records but also showed the strong vitality of the tourism industry after the pandemic. Even compared to the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 outbreak, the number of tourists also increased by 26.4%, an impressive number showing the irresistible appeal of the land of the rising sun.
Japan attracts a large number of foreign tourists.
Japanese airports such as Narita and Haneda have become busier than ever when welcoming millions of tourists from Korea and China. With 656,700 arrivals, Koreans have created a "green wave" in the land of the rising sun. Meanwhile, the Chinese community has also contributed to the excitement with 652,300 arrivals, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day.
Especially the cherry blossom season has made this number increase even higher.
Tourists from Taiwan (China) increased by 22.2% to 470,600 people and the number of visitors from the US increased by 22.5% to 191,900 people last September.
Meanwhile, the number of visitors from the Middle East also increased 14.8 percent last month to 14,200 - a record high, thanks to an increase in the number of direct flights, including those connecting Istanbul and the Kansai region.
The increase in tourists brings many consequences.
In contrast, the number of Japanese tourists going abroad in September 2024 totaled 1.2 million, up 20.7% year-on-year but still down 30.8% from September 2019. According to JNTO, in August, the peak tourist season, 745,800 Chinese tourists visited Japan, nearly double the number in 2023, with flights between the two countries increasing during the month.
Japan, which aims to attract 60 million foreign tourists annually by 2030, is facing a number of challenges, including a labor shortage at some accommodation facilities and the negative impacts of the tourism boom, including traffic congestion.
