Japan Sees Record-Breaking 17.7 Million Foreign Tourists in First Half of 2023

Last Updated on October 1, 2024 by Vlad

Japan has witnessed a record-breaking influx of overseas tourists in the first half of 2023, with over 17.7 million visitors from January to June. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) reported 17,777,200 foreign arrivals during this period, with June alone welcoming 3,135,600 visitors – the fourth consecutive month exceeding 3 million.

This surge, partly fuelled by a weak yen, puts Japan on track to surpass its goal of 31.88 million annual inbound tourists by 2025 (31.88 million was a record high yearly figure set in 2019), potentially reaching 35 million by year-end. While Chinese tourism hasn’t rebounded to pre-pandemic levels just yet, increased visitors from Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, and other countries have bolstered overall numbers.

Us fellow Aussies are visiting Japan like never before. The ABC reports that some 702,000 Australians have visited Japan in the first half of this year (a massive 126% jump)!

Foreign visitors spent a record 3.9 trillion yen (approximately US $24.80 billion or some $39 billion Australian dollars) in the first half of 2023, averaging 225,000 yen per tourist. If this trend continues, foreign visitor spending could approach 8 trillion yen by year-end, signalling a robust recovery for Japan’s tourism sector.

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