Japan could see a record 35 million foreign visitors this year. Moreover, around 17.78 million people likely visited the country from January to June on the back of a weak yen.
With an all-time high for the six-month period, the annual total is likely to surpass the previous record of 31.88 million registered in 2019 before the pandemic, as the government aims to attract 60 million foreign visitors annually by 2030.
The estimate was released at a meeting of Cabinet ministers held to discuss ways to achieve the tourism goal while addressing “overtourism” and the promotion of steps to attract visitors to regional areas.
Spending boost
From April to June, foreign visitors spent a quarterly record of around 2.1 trillion yen ($13.3 billion) on accommodation and shopping, boosted by the yen’s depreciation.
Japan saw around 3.14 million foreign visitors in June, the highest number for a single month, surpassing three million for the fourth straight month.
By country and region, the largest number of visitors in June came from South Korea at around 700,000, followed by those from China at around 660,000, Taiwan at around 570,000, the United States at roughly 300,000, and Hong Kong at about 250,000.
“We will strongly push ahead with expanding inbound tourism and developing sustainable travel areas,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during the meeting.
Impact of overtourism
Overtourism has taken a toll on local residents and the environment, with traffic congestion and disregard for local customs becoming prevalent issues. To address these challenges, 20 regions across the country have been chosen as pilot areas to develop strategies for educating tourists about responsible behavior.
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