Japan's tourism sector is rapidly recovering as it welcomed more than
2.1 million international visitors in August, reaching 85.6% of the
pre-pandemic levels seen in the same month in 2019, according to
government data released on 20 September.
China contributed 364,100 visitors in August (36.4% recovery), a
notable increase compared to July which only brought in 50,000 Chinese
travellers.
China has secured the third position in the list of arrivals by
country, following South Korea with 569,100 visitors, marking an 84.3%
increase from four years earlier, and Taiwan with 396,300 visitors,
which saw a slight decline of 5.7%.
Amid surging popularity as a travel destination, many of Japan’s top
visitor sites are now struggling with overtourism. Mount Fuji, for
instance, was recently described as "screaming" by the governor of the
local region, as daily throngs of visitors, cars and buses become a
common occurrence at the world-famous volcano.
The Kyoto Municipal Government has compiled a list of "overtourism"
countermeasures for the peak autumn tourist season, such as increasing
the number of extra bus services and calling on foreign tourists to
behave appropriately.
The Kyoto Municipal Government has formulated a set of measures to
address the issue of "overtourism" during the busy autumn tourist
season. These measures include expanding the availability of additional
bus services and promoting responsible behaviour among foreign tourists.
Electronic billboards will be set up at Kyoto and Karasuma Oike
subway stations, providing information about the city's rules in
multiple languages, including English and Chinese.
Furthermore, in collaboration with the Japan National Tourism
Organization (JNTO), the city is engaging overseas travel agencies and
other stakeholders to encourage better tourist conduct. This initiative
will be coordinated through JNTO offices located in China, Singapore,
and Australia.