According to Japan's National Tourism Organization (JNTO), foreign visitor arrivals in March 2024 reached a record high of 3,081,600, representing a 69.5% increase from the previous month. This is the first time the number of visitors has exceeded 3 million in a single month, surpassing the previous record of 2,991,819 set in July 2019.
The allure of Japan's cherry blossom season and the yen's rapid depreciation played a pivotal role in driving up the number of foreign visitors this year. Despite the delayed start of the season on March 29 in Tokyo and Kyoto, the demand for visits to Japan surged, particularly from South Korea, Taiwan, and Western countries, surpassing the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level.
With the continuous influx of visitors, the Japanese government's ambitious goal of surpassing the previous annual record of 31.9 million foreign visitors, set in 2019, by 2025, may be within reach sooner than anticipated, possibly even this year.
South Korea has the highest number of tourists visiting Japan, with 663,100 visitors, followed by Taiwan, 484,400 visitors. China comes in third with 452,400 people, with the number of tourists from China returning to 65% of the pre-pandemic level. In the meantime, the number of visitors from the United States increased by 64.3% from March 2019 to 290,100 and from the Philippines by 63.2% to 78,800.
According to recent data from JNTO, foreign visitors spent a record-breaking 1,750.5 billion yen (10.5 billion euros) between January and March 2024. On average, each visitor spent 208,760 yen (1,250 euros), the highest quarterly amount ever recorded. This increase in spending is attributed to a combination of factors, such as a weak yen, rising prices, and longer average stays.
Regarding spending by country and region, Australia tops the list with 373,000 yen (2,230 euros) spent per person, followed by Great Britain with 367,000 yen and Spain with 352,000 yen.