Hotel stays in Japan hit record 651m on inbound tourism surge

Weak yen helps foreign visitor overnight stays swell by almost 40% in 2024

Tourists from the U.S. wearing Japanese traditional kimonos stroll at Senso-ji temple, a popular sightseeing spot, in Tokyo.

January 31, 2025 21:40 JST

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Overnight stays at accommodation facilities in Japan by Japanese and foreign travelers rose 5.5% in 2024 from the previous year to a record 651.49 million, preliminary government data showed Friday.

The growth was largely driven by foreign visitors, whose stays at hotels and Japanese inns surged 38.8% to 163.48 million on the back of a weak yen, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.