This Asian country welcomed a record 36.8 million visitors in 2024, according to the tourism agency.
Japan welcomed the highest number of visitors in its history in 2024, as the country’s weak currency fueled a tourism boom, according to official figures.
More than 36.8 million people visited the Asian country for business or leisure last year, according to estimates released Wednesday by the Japan National Tourism Organization.
These figures far exceed 2019’s record of almost 32 million arrivals and compare to 25.07 million visitors in 2023.
Spending by foreign visitors jumped to 8.14 trillion yen ($51.78 billion), an increase of 53 percent from the previous year.
The surge in arrivals has been spurred, in part, by the fall of the yen, which at one point last year was trading at a 40-year low against the U.S. dollar.
While the influx of visitors has boosted Japan’s economy after decades of stagnation, the increase in arrivals has also sparked resistance from the local population.
Earlier this week, the municipality of Kyoto, one of Japan’s most popular destinations, announced it would increase taxes on hotel accommodation by up to 10,000 yen ($63) per night in the part of efforts to address overtourism issues.
Kyoto Mayor Koji Matsui said the increased tax revenue would be spent on improving infrastructure such as roads and bridges, so residents could “realistically feel” that welcoming visitors improves their life.
The move comes after authorities in the historic capital last year banned tourists from entering the alleys of the traditional Gion district, following reports of visitors harassing geishas.
Other Japanese municipalities have also proposed measures to address complaints about strained infrastructure and disrespectful tourists.
In June, Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto caused a stir when he said he would consider charging foreigners six times more than locals to enter the city’s World Heritage-listed castle. UNESCO.
Despite the increase in arrivals, Japan still welcomes far fewer tourists per capita than major tourist destinations such as France, Italy and Spain.
Under the Japanese government’s tourism plan, authorities hope to attract 60 million visitors a year by 2030.
