More American tourists go to Japan as you hit the Honolulu Star-Advertiser

American tourists to Japan have surged this year, lured by a fall in the value of the yen, which is also fueling a massive surge in foreign investor interest in the country’s housing market.

The number of Americans arriving in Japan by air passed more than 900,000 in the first five months of 2024, up 17.4% year-on-year and up 35.5% from 2019 before the pandemic, data from the International Administration showed. of Trade.

While pent-up travel demand since the end of the pandemic has also contributed, the Japanese currency’s recent slide to a 38-year low against the US dollar 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, attracting travelers from China as well as long-haul visitors from North America with more Americans choosing to travel internationally.

“The weaker U.S. dollar makes the entire travel experience more affordable for U.S. tourists,” said Tim Hentschel, CEO of travel booking platform HotelPlanner.

Foreign investment in the Japanese hotel industry has also seen a sharp rise.

Cross-border investment in the industry reached $1.38 billion in the first half of this year, up 19.2% from the same period in 2023 and 176.3% compared to the first half of 2019, according to MSCI data.

Several US-based hotels such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and Choice have expanded 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 may be more inclined to book with a familiar name,” said Wanping Aw, a travel agent in Tokyo.

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

Airlines are also moving along with this trend, adding more destinations between the US and Japan.

Carriers planned about 1.5 million seats between the two countries in June, July and August, a 9% increase from a year earlier, according to May data 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%, 10% and 7% respectively, Hopper data showed.