Japan smashes annual record with more than 36 million tourists in 2024
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Japan saw more than 36.8 million visitors in 2014, a record since 2019. Japan welcomed a record 36 million tourists in 2024, according to official figures released on Wednesday. Estimates from the Japan National Tourism Organization revealed that more than 36.8 million people visited the country for business or leisure in 2024, surpassing a previous high of 31.88 million in 2019.
“If things go well, 2024 total will surpass 35 million,” national tourism agency commissioner Naoya Haraikawa had said earlier. In the first 11 months of 2024, there was a significant increase in visitors from the US, Europe, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
The Japan National Tourism Organization revealed that 3.19 million foreign visitors arrived for business and leisure in November of last year alone. The number was slightly lower than October’s 3.31 million, which was the highest for any month. In 2024, visitor spending rose by 53 per cent to 8.14 trillion yen ($51.78bn), driven partly by a weaker yen, which hit a 40-year low against the US dollar.
Harry Hwang, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at UN Tourism, highlighted at Tourism Expo Japan in September last year that Japan has been “leading the recovery” of international tourism in the Asia-Pacific region, citing record-breaking numbers of inbound visitors in recent months.
The surge in tourists has been attributed in major part to a weaker yen which has made Japan more attractive to international tourists. The soaring numbers, however, have sparked concerns about “overtourism” at popular destinations, leading to challenges in managing visitor flow and preserving local environments.