U.S. credit card spending triples in Japan as tourists hit golf courses

Americans spend more on experiences, from sports to theme parks and lodging

U.S. tourist numbers have gone up around 50% from before the pandemic, far more than the average for all foreign visitors. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)

HIROFUMI KANAOKA, Nikkei staff writer

September 19, 2024 00:26 JST

TOKYO -- U.S. tourists visiting Japan are spending three times as much on credit cards as they were before the coronavirus pandemic, data shows, with more than half going toward experiences like golf and theme parks.

With more Americans visiting Japan, U.S. credit card spending in the January-June period was about triple the first half of 2019. The merchant transaction data, provided by Sumitomo Mitsui Card's Custella analytics service, covers payments using Visa, MasterCard and UnionPay cards issued overseas.