Japanese tourist numbers rise again by 19.7% – Beware of “increasingly hard-to-book hotels”

▲ Thunder Gate at Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo (Photo / from the official Facebook page of the Asakusa Tourism Federation)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Taipei

Japanese tourism numbers hit another record high again this year. In July, the number of overseas visitors to Japan reached 2.997 million, an increase of 19.7% compared to the same period last year. Among them, Taiwanese visitors accounted for 397,000, up 9.8% year-on-year.

According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization, China had the highest number of visitors to Japan in July this year, reaching 731,000, an increase of 26.8%; followed by South Korea with 447,000, up 30%, and Taiwan in third place. From January to July this year, Japan has already accumulated over 14 million visitors, while the full-year total for 2015 was 19.737 million.

The Japan National Tourism Organization stated that in July, apart from the UK and Russia, the other 16 major source countries all set new records for visitor numbers. Taiwan’s increase was mainly due to summer vacation, family trips, and factors such as cruises to Okinawa, which boosted the number of travelers to Japan. However, on the other hand, the appreciation of the yen, airline strikes, and a reduction in Taiwan-Japan flights also kept the growth rate in single digits.

Although the number of visitors to Japan continues to rise, travel agencies actually consider the Japanese market this year to be “very challenging.” Mainly impacted by budget airlines and other factors, the proportion of independent travelers to Japan has increased, resulting in weaker group tour sales compared to previous years. Not only have many airlines aggressively promoted deals to attract customers, but there have even been cases where “summer holiday tour packages are cheaper than regular ones.” Butalso because the number of international visitors to Japan continues to rise, hotel prices have been climbing steadily, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to book rooms.Therefore, if you are planning a trip to Japan, it is even more important to plan ahead.