Japan's inbound tourism has witnessed a 4-year rise as visitors from China and South Korea increase steadily.
Helped by the cheaper exchange rate to the Japanese yen, inbound tourists to the country has climbed for four consecutive years.
Tourism and related industries boomed not only in major tourism locations, but even in remote parts of Japan.
Number of visitors to Japan have already exceeded a record high 14 million up to September this year. Out of which over 3.8 million are Chinese Nationals. The Japanese government is aiming to increase the number of inbound tourists to 30 million by 2020 and at the same time promote measures to stimulate their spending. "
Spending by tourists in Japan hit a record high, exceeding 2 trillion yen, or 16.6 billion dollars, in 2014. The government has set a new target, doubling the figure to 4 trillion yen, or 33.1 billion dollars by 2020.
To increase these spending, tourists from the neighboring countries plays an important role. Visitors from China, including its Taiwan province and South Korea are the top spenders, consisting 55.3 percent of total spending by tourists in 2014.
Chinese tourists are known for their spending power. Department stores and local cities are making a lot of efforts in attracting Chinese tourists, which has stimulated local economies. Various events and products targeting the China market is increasing in many parts of the country.
Government is also planning to implement various measures to attract consumption urges, such as bilingual staffs and triple tax free shops by the Tokyo Olympics
Experts say political environment is also important to attract more tourists from neighboring countries. Tourism from China and South Korea are on a steady rise, but it could fluctuate rapidly depending on the diplomatic ties.
Maintaining or improving the diplomatic relations is vital for Japan to achieve its tourism targets. Naturally, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's diplomacy also closely watched by tourism industry.
