Tokyo Tower. Credit: Japan National Tourism Organization.
New data released by Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) shows the number of Australians visiting Japan in the first quarter of 2024 (January to March) has increased by 46.3% compared to the same period in 2019, with visitors in March alone up a staggering 87.4% compared to March 2019.
“These figures are fantastic to see, and confirm what we had been predicting which was a strong interest in Japan as a travel destination of choice in 2024,” said JNTO Sydney Office Executive Director, Naoki Kitazawa.
Pent-up interest in the winter snow sports season has contributed to the rise, while record visitor numbers are also being fuelled by new flights and increased airline capacity, favourable exchange rate conditions, and increasing awareness of Japan’s broad appeal as a tourist destination.
“The AUD is purchasing much more JPY now compared to the lows we saw in the years leading up to the pandemic pause, and this favourable exchange rate makes Japan more affordable and accessible for Australian travellers,” Kitazawa-san added.
JNTO expects the positive trend to continue in 2024, with more Australians looking to travel outside of the peak seasons and seeking lesser-known destinations across the country: “We are especially excited to see that Australians are starting to dig a little deeper and explore more of Japan. There is a new generation of adventurous visitors looking further afield for unique experiences.”
“Japan’s rugged mountains, rocky coastlines, pristine white beaches, bamboo forests and some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls are just some of the natural highlights to be enjoyed all year round,” Kitazawa-san concluded.
The country is also experiencing a growing interest in cruise travel across Japan. Cruise ship demand is rebounding as the number of calls to the country's ports more than doubled in 2023 to 1,854, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.
For more information on inbound statistics go to Japan Tourism Statistics: https://statistics.jnto.go.jp/en/ 
For more information, please contact:
James Cooley | james@thelucidagency.com.au | +61 401 316 701
