We won't know the yearend totals for Hawaiʻi's visitor count until later this month, but the figures are in for Japan — and they include some surprises.
Japan has already hit a combination that many in Hawaiʻi are looking for: fewer visitors spending more money.
Travelers to Japan in 2023 spent more than ever — at least since Japan's government started tracking the numbers back in 2010.
Visitor arrivals hit 25 million — the most since the pre-pandemic year of 2019 — but well short of that year's record of 32 million.
The difference comes down to China.
More than 9.5 million visitors came to Japan from China in 2019. Last year that was down to fewer than 2.5 million.
South Korea was the top source of visitors to Japan last year, followed by Taiwan.
And just as the weaker yen has kept many Japanese away from Hawaiʻi, it encouraged more than 2 million Americans to travel to Japan last year.
As for Japanese travelers, more than 9 million ventured overseas last year. That is more than triple 2022's figures, but about half the level of 2019.
In its latest forecast, travel agency JTB estimates Japanese travelers won't hit the international road at that pace until sometime after 2025.
