Japan’s inbound travel sector expects bumper year, as tourist numbers approach pre-pandemic levels

The optimism comes following last week’s report from the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) that showed 25.07 million foreign tourists arrived in the country in 2023, more than six times the number from the previous year.

Similarly, positive was the news that foreign tourists spent 5.29 trillion yen (US$35.57 billion) in 2023, surpassing the 5 trillion yen annual figure for the first time and breaking the previous record, of 4.8 trillion yen, reported in 2019.

And that has left the industry confident that 2024 will set records.

“Japan was extremely late to open up because the government put the coronavirus on the same level of danger as Ebola until May of last year, so there has been a really good recovery when you think that Japan has only been fully open for nine months,” said Naomi Mano, president and CEO of high-end inbound travel firm Luxurique.

“But the situation is very positive right now, with lots of clients spending more than they might have in the past because the exchange rate is in their favour,” she told This Week in Asia.

“The yen being so weak makes Japan seem like a bargain all of a sudden, and travellers are now seeking exclusive, immersive experiences while they are here.”

The yen was trading at around 115 against the dollar in February 2022, but it had tumbled to the 150 range by October due to a series of interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve.

“We have seen an increase in interest in wellness and mindfulness experiences, and people are no longer worried about travelling outside the big cities as they search for one-off experiences,” said Mano.

The relatively low price of travel to and within Japan has caused an increase in budget travellers, she pointed out, which is placing pressure on