According to Japan’s National Tourism Organisation, the country welcomed 25 million tourists in 2023, the largest number since 2019, the full year before the pandemic hit in early 2020. Total spending by visitors hit a record 5.3 trillion yen ($47.8 billion) in 2023, up 10% over 2019; spending per person increased by a third to 212,000 yen, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
Tokyo winters may be chilly, but the streets are bustling with chattering tourists from Singapore, Korea, Indonesia and various other countries. It is evident that following the pandemic, tourism in Japan has rebounded stronger than ever, driven by pent-up demand and a weaker yen, making spending less restrictive.
Conversations with locals in the hospitality industry revealed that Tokyo hotels have experienced remarkably high occupancy rates since the second half of 2023, with some nearly reaching maximum capacity. Surprisingly, this surge occurred without the return of Chinese tourists in full force.
