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Tourism trends in Japan and Thailand

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2026-10-21 08:47 UTC → 2026-10-25 05:29 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Tourism sectors in Japan and Thailand have experienced declines in foreign visitor arrivals. In Japan, August saw a 9.6% year-on-year decrease in foreign tourists, largely due to a 59% drop in visitors from China following Chinese government travel advisories. While several markets like the United States and South Korea reached record highs, September data showed a further 5.0% decrease in inbound visitors compared to the previous year. Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) attributed the September decline to rising airfares linked to Middle East tensions, reduced flight frequencies, and typhoon-related cancellations. Despite these dips, cumulative visitor numbers for Japan in 2026 remained above 30 million. While Chinese arrivals have declined, other markets such as South Korea, Mexico, and the Middle East have recorded record September numbers. Additionally, the number of Japanese citizens traveling abroad rose by 6.3%. In Thailand, foreign arrivals in September 2026 decreased by 11% year-on-year to approximately 2 million. This downturn was attributed to large-scale flooding in the Bangkok metropolitan area and flight cancellations by Thai Airways. Cumulative data for Thailand through late September showed a 3.65% decrease in foreign tourists compared to the same period the previous year. However, Thailand remains a resilient market for Japan, contributing approximately 835,000 visitors to Japan between January and September 2026, a 2.4% year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, Thai Airways has announced an increase in fuel surcharges for routes connecting Japan to Bangkok, effective November 1, 2026.

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