【Summary】
The number of foreign visitors to Japan is expected to exceed 36 million in 2024, and in major cities there are even hotels that have been fully booked by foreigners on some days. However, the benefits of this have not spread to rural areas, and there are still issues to be addressed in relation to the government’s target of 60 million visitors by 2030. For Japanese people too, the rising cost of accommodation and congestion are a source of concern, and it seems that striking a balance in inbound policies will be important.
【Source】
This article was created with reference to the Mainichi Shimbun (https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250115/k00/00m/020/041000c).
(1) Foreign tourists are taking over the big cities
According to the news, there was a day when all the guests at a hotel in Asakusa, Tokyo, were foreigners. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic settling down and the number of tourists visiting Japan from various countries suddenly increasing, popular spots in big cities tend to be crowded. While it is great that many overseas travelers enjoy Japanese culture, there are also Japanese people who refrain from domestic travel due to the soaring hotel prices. The current situation is that accommodation prices rise sharply during busy periods due to dynamic pricing.
(2) The tourism boom has yet to reach rural areas
The government has set a target of 60 million foreign tourists by 2030, but many people in rural areas feel that this target is unlikely to be achieved. Poor access and a lack of foreign language support mean that foreign tourists tend to concentrate in urban areas. While people living in rural areas would like to see more tourists, they are concerned about the impact on their lives and the lack of infrastructure if the number of tourists increases too quickly. The big issue for the future is how to convey the appeal of the regions and prepare to receive visitors.
(3) The feelings of Japanese travelers and future directions
The increase in the number of foreign tourists is a great opportunity because it has an economic effect. However, there are some Japanese people who give up on traveling because they don’t like crowds. Some people feel that the atmosphere of tourist destinations is changing because the rising hotel prices make it difficult to plan family trips. It is necessary to make efforts to not just chase the numbers, but to disperse tourists by region and to create an environment where Japanese people can also enjoy themselves. A policy that can successfully support both foreign tourists and domestic tourists should be the key to future tourism policies.
