World’s ‘most favorite’ destination records 21 million tourists in 6 months, first drop in 5 years
Japan, voted the “world’s most favorite destination” by readers of Condé Nast Traveler last year, received 21.08 million foreign visitors in the first half of the year, down 2% from the same period a year earlier, marking the country’s first decline in inbound tourism for the January-June period in five years.
The drop was largely driven by a sharp decline in arrivals from mainland China after Beijing advised its citizens against traveling to Japan, while strong growth from South Korea helped cushion the decline, Japan Today reported.
Mainland Chinese arrivals plunged 56.4% year-on-year to 2.06 million in the first half, while visitors from South Korea rose 18.6% to 5.68 million, and from Taiwan increased 20.9% to 3.97 million.
Tourists walk through a traditional alleyway near Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan. Photo by Reuters |
Hotel operator Mori Trust forecasts Japan will welcome between 40.5 million and 42 million international visitors in 2026, slightly below the record 42.68 million arrivals recorded last year, The Japan Times reported.
The company said demand for hotel bookings remains strong for the summer and autumn travel seasons, despite airlines increasing fuel surcharges on international flights amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Foreign visitors to Japan in 2025 hit a record of 42.7 million, with their spending also at a new all-time high of 9.5 trillion yen.
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