GCC fuels strong recovery of inbound...

Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain inbound markets reach close to 2019 visitor numbers

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has confirmed the recovery of inbound tourism with travellers from GCC countries leading the way.

Countries including Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain have almost reached their 2019 visitor numbers.

The first half of 2023 saw 13,537 GCC nationals visiting Japan, which is very close to the 2019 figure of 13,582.

Other key source markets include Singapore, Vietnam, the United States and Mexico.

June 2023 was a significant milestone for Japan, welcoming a total of 2,073,300 international visitors, equivalent to 72% of the figure for June 2019. This marked the first time since January 2020 that Japan surpassed two million visitors in a single month, signalling a promising rebound for the country's tourism industry.

The cumulative number of international visitors to Japan during the first half of 2023 surpassing 10 million visitors, reaching an impressive 10,712,000.

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JNTO Dubai office executive director Kobayashi Daisuke attributes the rebound to the recent introduction of visa waiver arrangements and online visa applications in some GCC countries, coupled with the total lifting of Covid-related border control measures in April 2023.

The close collaboration with airlines and travel agencies in the region has further promoted Japan as a preferred leisure destination.

For more information, visit www.japan.travel