More American tourists head to Japan as battered yen beckons

TOKYO — American tourists headed for Japan have surged in 2024, lured by a slump in the value of the yen, which is also driving a massive jump in foreign investor interest in the country's lodgings market.

The number of Americans arriving in Japan by air crossed more than 900,000 in the first five months of 2024, climbing 17.4 per cent year on year and vaulting 35.5 per cent from 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, the International Trade Administration data showed.

While pent-up travel demand since the end of the pandemic has also contributed, the Japanese currency's recent plunge to a 38-year low to the US dollar, with US$1 worth around 161 yen, has been a key factor, as it boosts the spending power of American tourists.

Since the end of the pandemic, demand has been booming across the Asia-Pacific, drawing in travellers from China, as well as long-haul visitors from North America with more Americans opting to travel internationally.

"The weakened yen compared with the US dollar makes the entire travel experience more affordable for American tourists," said Tim Hentschel, chief executive of travel bookings platform HotelPlanner.

Foreign investments in the Japanese hotel industry have also seen a sharp spike.

Cross-border investments in the industry came in at US$1.38 billion in the first half of 2024, up 19.2 per cent from the same period of 2023, and 176.3 per cent compared with the first half of 2019, according to MSCI data.

Several US-based hotels such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and Choice have been expanding their footprint in Japan by partnering with local real estate and hospitality companies.

"When someone who doesn't know much about Japan visits the country for the first time, they might be more inclined to book with a familiar name," said Tokyo travel agent Aw Wanping.

Short-term rentals giant Airbnb reported a 130 per cent increase in nights booked by American guests in Japan in 2023 from a year earlier.

Airlines are also moving in tandem with this trend, adding more seats between the US and Japan.

Carriers scheduled about 1.5 million seats between the two countries in June, July and August, a nine per cent increase from a year earlier, according to data in May from online travel agency Hopper.

United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines Group have increased scheduled seat capacity between the US and Japan for the summer by 19 per cent, 10 per cent and seven per cent, respectively, Hopper data showed.

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