A recent survey found that over 30% of foreign tourists to Japan experienced overtourism issues during their 2024 visits. More than 60% of respondents also expressed a willingness to accept higher charges to reduce congestion and protect Japan’s cultural and natural resources.
The survey, which included 7,796 foreign tourists, highlighted congestion at popular tourist destinations as the most common issue, with 32% reporting this problem. This is a slight increase from the 30% in a 2019 survey, conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to congestion, many tourists reported issues with bad manners, such as littering and entering restricted areas. The survey also revealed that 63% of respondents were open to paying higher fees at tourist sites to help ease these problems, a significant rise from 43% in 2019.
The survey also pointed to the growing interest in rural tourism. While 97% of respondents expressed a desire to visit regional areas of Japan, less than 10% had actually traveled to these regions, showing untapped potential for rural tourism.
Looking ahead, 72% of tourists planning to visit Japan are interested in attending the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. Among those, 42% said the event would be the primary reason for their trip to Japan.
