Reuters reports that tourist spending in Japan broke the annual spending record in just nine months, demonstrating the economic strength of the tourism boom fueled by the weak yen.
From January to September 2024, travelers spent 5.86 trillion yen ($39.27 billion), according to preliminary data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). This exceeded the 5.3 trillion yen spent in 2023, a record for 12 months.
Tourism spending, classified as exports in the national accounts, is poised to become Japan’s second-largest export sector after automobiles and electronic components.
Based on data from July to September 2024, an average visitor to Japan spent 223,000 yen ($1,490) on their trip. Italians, Spaniards, and Russians spent the most money.
According to JNTO, 2.87 million visitors visited the Land of the Rising Sun in September, down slightly from 2.93 million in August.
Starting in February, the number of tourists set new monthly records, including 3.29 million in July, the highest number for any month.
In September, 26.88 million tourists arrived in Japan, exceeding the total number for 2023. This could break the record of 31.9 million tourists set in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic closed global borders.
