According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, tourist visits reached an all-time high this year. Increasing steadily since January, they reached a new record in June. Almost one million more people came to the country in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019.
American traveler searches on Priceline placed Tokyo and Osaka at the top of its Most Popular International Destination List for 2024. Virtuoso , whose network of global luxury travel agencies books $80 billion worth of trips a year, is seeing a 108% increase in Fall vacations to Japan this year. “The surge in tourism to Japan has been remarkable.
The cheapness of the yen vis-à-vis other currencies has played its part, but the increase is probably more due to the growing knowledge about Japan,” shares Paul Christie, CEO of Walk Japan . “When Japan first reopened after Covid closures, the demand was so high that availability was extremely limited, even when planning several months in advance. Some visitors had to reconsider their travel dates as a result,” adds Keri Vita , Travel Advisor, LBAC Travel, a NEST affiliate.
If explorers don’t want to deal with the summer heat, battle spring cherry blossom or Golden Week crowds, or can only travel during school closures, December might be the perfect time to consider visiting Japan. “When asked about the best time to visit destinations, my answer is often, ‘When do you have the most time?’ If a client is traveling a great distance .