East Asian nation sees tourism burst previous pre-pandemic ranges as weak yen attracts report guests.
Japan welcomed a report 17.78 million international guests within the first half of 2024, the nation’s tourism company has mentioned, because the weak yen helped drive vacationer numbers above pre-pandemic ranges.
The January-June determine introduced by the Japan Nationwide Tourism Group on Friday is multiple million extra folks than the earlier excessive of 16.63 million in 2019.
Japan is experiencing a tourism growth as a hunch within the yen boosts the spending energy of foreigners who obtain their earnings in stronger currencies.
South Koreans had been the largest customer group, totalling 4.4 million arrivals, adopted by Chinese language, Taiwanese and People.
The inflow of tourists has delivered a much-needed enhance to Japan’s financial system, which has struggled with stagnant development for many years, but additionally prompted grumbles from some locals.
In Might, authorities in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture erected a barrier to cease vacationers from swarming a well-liked viewing spot for Mount Fuji.
Kyoto’s native council has additionally banned vacationers from coming into alleyways within the conventional district of Gion following stories of tourists harassing geishas.
Final month, the mayor of Himeji, Hideyasu Kiyomoto, precipitated a stir when he mentioned he would think about charging foreigners six occasions as a lot as locals to enter the town’s UNESCO-listed fort.
