Japan Welcomes Over 3 Million Foreign Visitors in March

Apr 17, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - For the first time in a single month, the number of foreign visitors to Japan exceeded 3 million, with March recording a historic high of over 3.08 million visitors.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the count of foreign visitors in March was 3,081,600, surpassing the pre-COVID levels of March 2019 by over 320,000.

The surge was boosted by the cherry blossom season, which typically attracts tourists, and the start of the Easter holidays in late March, which further increased travel figures.

This is the first time since surveys began in 1964 that the number has exceeded 3 million.

Among the 23 countries and regions surveyed, 17 recorded their highest numbers for March, with new monthly records set across Asia, North and Central America, Germany, and Italy.

Visitor numbers from China are gradually recovering, reaching over 65% of the 2019 levels.

In contrast, the number of Japanese people traveling abroad last month was approximately 1.22 million, still hovering around 60% of the pre-COVID figures since last summer.

The Japan Tourism Agency reported that from January to March this year, spending by foreign visitors totaled 1.7505 trillion yen, more than 50% higher than in the same period in 2019, marking the highest quarter on record.

Source: ANN

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