Japan’s tourist arrivals hit all-time highs as the weak currency attracts masses | Tourism

The Asian country welcomed a record 36.8 million visitors in 2024, says the tourism agency.

Japan will welcome the most visitors in 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 pleasure last year, estimates from the Japan National Tourism Organization showed on Wednesday.

The figures far exceed the 2019 record of almost 32 million arrivals and compare with 25.07 million visitors in 2023.

Spending by foreign visitors rose to 8.14 trillion yen ($51.78 billion), a 53 percent increase from the previous year.

The boom in arrivals has been spurred, in part, by the slumping value of the yen, which at one point last year was trading at a 40-year low against the US dollar.

While the influx of visitors has given Japan’s economy a boost after decades of stagnation, the increase in arrivals has also prompted a pushback among locals.

Earlier this week, the city government of Kyoto, one of Japan’s most popular destinations, announced that it would raise hotel accommodation rates by up to 10,000 yen ($63) per night as part of efforts to address the problems of excessive tourism.

Kyoto Mayor Koji Matsui said the tax increase would be spent on improving infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, so that residents could “tangibly feel” that welcoming visitors improve their lives.

The move came after officials in the historic capital last year banned tourists from entering alleyways in 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 as much as locals for entering the city’s UNESCO-listed castle.

Despite the increase in arrivals, Japan still receives far fewer tourists per capita than major tourist destinations such as France, Italy and Spain.

Under the Japanese government’s tourism plan, officials hope to attract 60 million visitors a year by 2030.