Japan's inbound tourist numbers in April declined by 5.5% year-on-year, with pressure on the tourism market attributed to factors from China and the Middle East.

Japan's tourism market sees negative growth due to combined factors from China and the Middle East

According to a report by Yomiuri Shimbun on May 20: The Japan Tourism Agency announced data on the 20th showing that overseas visitors entering Japan in April totaled 3,692,200, a 5.5% decrease compared to the same month last year, marking the first time in three months that the number fell below the previous year's level.

Japanese media stated: The decline was significantly influenced by a 56.8% drop in Chinese tourists (330,700 Chinese visitors in April). Tourists from Hong Kong also decreased by 14.3%, totaling 226,000 people.

Following the controversy sparked by Takumi Sanae's remarks regarding "Taiwan emergency situation," the number of Chinese tourists has continued to decline.

Additionally, deteriorating conditions in the Middle East have led to global travel restrictions, raising concerns within Japan's tourism industry. Visitor numbers from Europe, the United States, and Australia are also showing downward trends. These countries had previously been steadily filling the gap left by the sharp decline in Chinese tourists. In April, U.S. visitors increased slightly by 0.8% to 330,000; British visitors dropped by 13.8% to 59,900; Australian visitors declined by 11.1% to 102,500. Tourist numbers from Germany, Italy, and Spain also saw significant decreases. Visitors from eight Middle Eastern countries, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, dropped by 21.4%, totaling 22,300 people.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865691789209737/

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