Tourists at Sensō-ji temple in Tokyo
The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan broke through the 20 million barrier before the end of October, a new record and up more than 24 per cent over the same period last year, according to the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA).
While the trade is celebrating well ahead of the target set for 2020, operators say results could have been better.
“We have seen the growth in the number of visitors from China has not been as strong as previously, for a number of reasons,” said Pankaj Pradhan, managing director of Tokyo-based Beauty of Japan.
“The yen has been stronger this year, the Chinese economy has been weaker and other countries are offering cheaper packages for travellers, including to destinations in Europe and North America, which has given Chinese travellers more choices,” he told TTG Asia.
Another factor that caused the growth to be halved from the 47 per cent increase logged in the whole of calendar 2015 included major earthquakes in central Kyushu in April, the JTA stated.
Hasmik Papazyan, of the Inbound Sales Department of Okinawa-based Jumbo Tours, said Chinese visitors “definitely” make up the majority of inbound visitors to the prefecture, but pointed to a shift in the market.
“The overall Chinese economy has been growing, so we are seeing an increase in number of wealthy tourists in comparison with previous years,” she said.
Despite the decline in the pace of growth in the first 10 months of 2016, travel agencies say the figure keeps them optimistic for the immediate future.
“Tokyo will host the Olympic Games in 2020 and I think that will have an impact on tourist numbers in the years leading up to that,” said Beauty of Japan’s Papazyan, adding that it could mean more Western tourists becoming more interested in Japan too.
Pradhan pointed out that easier visa requirements had made Japan more accessible as well, particularly for visitors from other parts of Asia.
