On February 23, 2017, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) updated its colossal headcount for foreign visitors entering the country. As of 2016, the tally already reached approximately 24 million tourists. Such milestone is something Japan is worth considering, especially in terms of its impact on the overall national economy.
It is important to take note that the similar article featured in Travel Pulse simply picked up from the previous data presented by other previous news media. What is most interesting is how, within a span of several months, the total number of visitors garnered a 4 million increment.
In The Near Future...
Japan's tourism industry is expected to boom even after the recent record. The 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will definitely reel more visitors. One can only guess how much more in millions would visit this already jam-packed country. As reported by Japan Times, the Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihige Suga told its local news conference that the government is projecting a total growth of about 40 million tourists as of 2020.
Encouraged by this symptom of progress, the government is already considering lesser restrictions to tourist visas. However, it is important to take into account that this loosening of bureaucratic restraints only applies to a select few nationalities, namely: Chinese, Indians, and Russians.
Unfortunately, not everyone welcomes the next wave of visitor influx. Among the minor concerns challenging this position includes the growing inadequacy of hotels and accommodations. Fortunately, such wrinkle is not enough to effectively derail Japan's vision for growth.
Virtually danger-free
There are many reasons why Japan draws tourists. Among these instrumental contributors is the level of unparalleled security experienced in this highly urbanized nation. Unlike London, Paris and New York, Tokyo is the only megacity that did not suffer any hostile attack conducted by disagreeable elements - particularly terrorists.
For the past several years, Japan has served as a shining example of successful immigration policy-making. Apart from natural calamities, man-made disasters like terrorism cannot prevail in Japan because of its high-tech security and rigid social demographics.
