TOKYO -- Travel-related spending in Japan rose for a third straight year in 2017 thanks to a sharp increase in consumption by foreign visitors.
Japanese and foreigners together spent 26.7 trillion yen ($248 billion) last year, up 3% from 2016, the Japan Tourism Agency said Wednesday. "Travel spending has ample room for growth," Commissioner Akihiko Tamura told reporters. Visitors to Japan accounted for 16.5% of the annual tally. Domestic overnight trips by Japanese contributed 60.1% of travel spending, with day trips making up 18.9%.
