By Giang Minh  January 23, 2025 | 04:40 pm PT
The Japan National Tourism Organization said there were again a record number of Vietnamese visitors to the Northeast Asian country in 2024.
The number increased by 8.2% to 621,100, and the increase from 2019, before the Covid pandemic began, was 25.5%.
It marked the second consecutive year of a record number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Japan.
Visitors at Dazaifu Tenmangu Temple in Fukuoka, Japan. Photo by VnExpress/Phong Vinh
According to the JNTO’s Vietnamese operations, Vietnamese tourists tend to prefer Southeast Asian countries and China to Japan due to the lower costs and visa waivers or simpler visa processes there.
The impact of Typhoon Yagi in early September 2024 also slowed Vietnamese travel demand in the latter half of the year.
But monthly data about Vietnamese visitors to Japan in 2024 showed consistently higher numbers than in past years.
On Jan. 15 JNTO said Japan received 36.9 million foreign tourists in 2024, a 47.1% increase from 2023 and surpassing 2019 figures.
Arrivals were concentrated during peak times such as cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons and school summer holidays.
The number of visitors increased not only from East Asia, traditionally the largest source of tourists, but also from Southeast Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia, and the Middle East.
The six-month-long World Expo that will open in Osaka, Japan, in April 2025 is expected to capture global attention.
JNTO expects the number of visitors to Japan from countries around the world, to continue growing during the expo.
AloJapan.com