Global tourism is on the rise, with Japan emerging as a popular destination in Asia. Recent Japanese government statistics show that foreign tourist spending in 2023 reached a record high of 5.29 trillion yen, the highest since 2010.
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TAIPEI, TAIWAN (Merxwire) – Because of COVID-19, international travel has been stagnant for three years, and 2023 entered the year of a major outbreak. The global tourism trend is prevalent, and Japan in Asia is also one of the popular tourist countries. According to the latest statistics from the Japanese government, the total domestic consumption of foreign tourists in Japan in 2023 has reached 5.29 trillion yen, a record high since 2010.
This statistical data released by the Japan Tourism Agency shows that the total spending of foreign tourists in Japan in 2023 increased by 9.9% compared with 2019. The average tourist expenditure in Japan is approximately 212,200 yen, an increase of 33.8% compared to 2019, which is quite astonishing. Statistics from the Japan National Tourism Organization show that the number of international tourists coming to Japan in 2023 has reached 25.06 million, reaching 80% of the number of foreign tourists in 2019. It represents that Japan’s tourism industry is gradually recovering.
In terms of expenditure categories, tourists spent the most on accommodation, which amounted to 1.83 trillion yen, accounting for 34.6% of the total consumption. The number of days of stay increased by 1.3 days compared with 2019, and the average length of stay was 10.2 days. The Japan Tourism Agency stated that the average length of stay has increased, which has also increased the total accommodation cost of tourists. Coupled with the depreciation of the yen and rising prices, the consumption expenditure of foreign tourists has increased significantly.
Looking at the country or place of residence of the tourists, tourists from Taiwan accounted for the highest total amount, contributing 778.6 billion yen, accounting for 14.7% of the total amount. Chinese tourists ranked second, with a total consumption of approximately 759.9 billion yen, accounting for 14.4%. South Korean tourists ranked third with 744.4 billion yen, accounting for approximately 14.1%. The fourth was 606.2 billion yen from American tourists, accounting for 11.5%. Ranking fifth were tourists from Hong Kong, with a total spending of 479.5 billion yen, accounting for 9%.
Looking at detailed statistics, the average shopping amount of Taiwanese tourists in Japan is 66,473 yen, which is approximately NT$14,400. Among them, the highest proportion of expenditure is the purchase of clothing and accessories, which costs about 11,210 yen. This is followed by snacks and cakes, with an average spending amount of 10,151 yen. Medical supplies ranked third, with a consumption amount of 9,979 yen.
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According to statistics from Taiwan’s Tourism Administration, from January to November 2023, the number of people traveling abroad reached 10.74 million. The number of tourists visiting Taiwan was 5.672 million, with a deficit of 5.07 million. Among them, 3.83 million people went to Japan, accounting for about 35% of the total number of people going abroad. In other words, one out of every three people going abroad went to Japan, which is a very high proportion. No wonder it can contribute nearly 800 billion yen in consumption.
Looking at the current situation of Japanese overseas travel, due to the late release of the epidemic, the Japanese official promotion of domestic travel subsidies, and the fact that flights and manpower have not yet been fully restored, the number of outbound tourists has only recovered to about 50%. Among them, South Korea is favored by most Japanese tourists because of its short distance and relatively reasonable prices. Taiwan, which has the highest total spending in Japan, ranks third among Japanese overseas travel destinations. Taiwan’s friendly environment and delicious food attract many Japanese people to travel to Taiwan.
The reasons why everyone likes to travel to Japan are delicious food, unique traditional culture, high-quality products, a clean and friendly environment, and convenient transportation. We believe that Japan will still be a popular tourist attraction in 2024, worthy of everyone’s enjoyment of traveling, experiencing culture, and shopping.