Tokyo tourist turnout reaches record high

Tourism is one of Tokyo’s most vital industries. As part of its efforts to attract tourists, the city records the number of tourists visiting each quarter. The results have been quite impressive: between July and September last year, a record-breaking 3.23 million people visited Tokyo, cementing its global reputation as a must-see destination.

Utilising the Common Standards for Calculation of Tourists established by the Japan Tourism Agency, the city gathered data from tourism venues and event organisers and conducted surveys in various regions. The record turnout between July and September 2015 marked a 36 per cent increase from the same period in the previous year.

The data included tourist spending figures as well, which were estimated to total over 311 billion yen for the three-month period. Visitors staying in hotels spent over 100,000 yen each on average, underscoring the industry’s economic significance.

In 2014, Tokyo Governor Yōichi Masuzoe announced a vision for attracting 15 million touristsby 2020, just in time for the Tokyo Olympics. The number of tourists who visited the city between January and September in 2015 totalled 8.87 million, which already exceeds 2014’s total. Add the data from the October to December period, and 2015’s figures are certain to clear the 10 million mark. It looks like Governor Masuzoe’s predictions were not far-fetched after all.

In an attempt to develop more tourist attractions, the city is considering branding itself a “City of Water” to expand its appeal. On 16 February, a group of 14 experts in tourism, culture and other fields gathered at a conference to brainstorm ways to maintain the boom in Tokyo’s tourism industry. They discussed the possibility of illuminating areas around the waterfront, though some pointed out that a lack of unified guidelines would lead to inconsistent designs. Nevertheless, it looks like plans to emphasise Tokyo’s aquatic appeal could take shape sometime within the next fiscal year.