Friday, December 13, 2024
Tourism in East Asia surges beyond pre-pandemic figures as the weakened yen attracts an all-time high of visitors.
Japan saw a record 17.78 million international visitors in the first half of 2024, according to the nation’s tourism agency. The weakened yen played a key role in surpassing pre-pandemic tourism levels.
The figure for January to June, released by the Japan National Tourism Organization on Friday, exceeds the previous record of 16.63 million visitors set in 2019 by over one million.
Japan is witnessing a surge in tourism, fueled by a decline in the yen, which enhances the purchasing power of visitors earning in stronger currencies.
South Koreans led the way with 4.4 million arrivals, followed by tourists from China, Taiwan, and the United States.
This influx of international visitors has provided a welcome economic lift to Japan, which has faced slow growth for many years. However, it has also sparked some discontent among local residents. In May, officials in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture, installed a barrier to prevent overcrowding at a popular Mount Fuji viewing spot.
The local council in Kyoto has imposed a ban on tourists entering the alleyways of the historic Gion district after reports emerged of visitors harassing geishas.
In a controversial move last month, Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto suggested that he might implement a policy charging foreign visitors six times the fee locals pay to enter the city’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed castle.
