Japan’s tourism sector recorded over 3 million visitors for the 3rd month in a row in May as the weak yen continued to attract visitors to the country, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) recently revealed. The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure reached 3.04 million in May, similar to the level in April, and down slightly from the all-time monthly record high in March.
Arrivals to Japan saw a 60 percent increase in May compared to the same period last year, and 9.6 percent higher than in May 2019. The cumulative number of visitors between January and May stood at 14.64 million, up 6.5 percent from the same period in 2019 before the pandemic. In 2019, Japan’s tourism sector welcomed a record 31.9 million visitors before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted travel.
Japan’s weak yen, which reached a 34-year low against the dollar, is fuelling the country’s tourism boom. This boom has supported the country’s economy in the first quarter of 2024 with tourism spending recording $11.1 billion.
South Korean visitors top Japan’s arrivals
Chinese travelers, previously among the most notable in Japan’s tourism sector, are still around 30 percent lower than pre-pandemic levels. However, tourists to Japan from other countries have emerged, including Indian visitors, who reached a record high in May, data showed.
The largest number of visitors to Japan came from South Korea at 738,800, up 43.3 percent year-on-year. Following closely came China at 545,400, up four times compared to May 2023.
In third place came Taiwan with 466,000, a 53.6 percent year-on-year increase and a 9.3 percent increase from 2019. Meanwhile, U.S. tourists totaled 247,000, a 34.7 percent annual increase and a 57.4 percent increase compared to May 2019.
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