Japan has broken records for tourist arrivals in February

Japan has recorded a significant increase in the number of tourist arrivals. In February, the country welcomed 2.79 million visitors, marking the highest figure for the month and the highest figure for any month since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This surge in numbers was attributed to travel during the Lunar New Year holidays, as reported by MarketScreener.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of foreign visitors for both business and leisure purposes increased from 2.69 million in January. Moreover, the number of arrivals in February was 7.1% higher than in 2019, when the Lunar New Year also occurred in the second month of the year rather than the first. In 2019, Japan welcomed a record 31.9 million visitors before the onset of the pandemic.

It is worth noting that tourism to Japan came to a virtual standstill for over two years during the pandemic. Since then, the industry has experienced a significant boost from the weakened yen, making Japan an attractive destination for foreign travelers.

January's data showed record growth in inbound tourism, highlighting the expanding role of this sector in the economy. Last year, visitors spent over 5 trillion yen ($33.3 billion) in the country for the first time, surpassing the government's target.

Japan is identified as the preferred destination for travelers from 12 countries on the Agoda online booking platform. With such high demand for Japan, experts suggest that overall figures for 2024 will match or even exceed those of 2019.

Read why tourists can no longer go to the geisha district in Japan. The explanation is in the TravelWise article.