Vietnamese tourists to Japan in 2023 will be the highest in history

According to the announcement today by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Representative Office in Vietnam, more than 536,000 Vietnamese tourists visited Japan from January to November, surpassing the record number of 495,000 in 2019. 2023 will be the year Japan welcomes the highest number of Vietnamese tourists in history.

According to JNTO, statistics on international visitors to Japan in December will be released in January 2024. Therefore, the total number of visitors for the whole year of 2023 is estimated to increase even more.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio expressed his "joy" at the record number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan. 2023 is a special year, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. "This is the year when the Japan-Vietnam relationship is felt to be at its highest level to date in all fields of politics, culture, and economy," Ambassador Yamada said.

Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration Ha Van Sieu said Japan is one of the top countries chosen by Vietnamese people because of its "safety, civilized and polite people, and many unique tourism products".

On the other hand, Vietnam is also one of the favorite destinations of Japanese tourists. In the first 11 months of the year, Vietnam welcomed nearly 530,000 Japanese tourists. Japan is in the top 5 markets sending tourists to Vietnam.

Mr. Hoang Phung Hieu, Director of VietGlobal Travel Company, said that there are many factors that make the number of Vietnamese tourists to Japan continue to increase, exceeding the pre-pandemic level in the context of the economic recession. Japan has always been a favorite destination for Vietnamese tourists because of its beautiful scenery, delicious cuisine and rich cultural history. Each destination in Japan has its own beautiful scenery, each season has its own appeal.

"In more than 20 years working in the tourism industry, I have witnessed many Vietnamese tourists coming to Japan not only 2-3 times but also 5-6 times. Each time they come to a different province, in a different season," Mr. Hieu shared. After the pandemic, Japan promoted many new tourist destinations and tours, contributing to attracting more visitors.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, Director of Asia Gate Travel, a company with 10 years of experience in the Japanese tour market in Hanoi, suggests that tourists can travel to Japan during the New Year and Lunar New Year with a schedule of 6 days 5 nights or 7 days 6 nights. The routes to see beautiful scenery include: Osaka - Nara - Kyoto - Nagoya - Mount Fuji or Nagoya - Shirakawago ancient village - Hida Takayama ancient village with thatched roofs - Biwako ski resort - Kyoto - Osaka. Tour prices range from 36.9 to 54.9 million, depending on departure date and destination. For early cherry blossom viewing tours, tour prices range from about 31.9 to 36.9 million VND.

The cost of traveling to Japan is high, but many Vietnamese tourists still travel there. Mr. Hieu said that the price is "not expensive" compared to the service, scenery, and cuisine in Japan. "It is a destination worth the money spent," Mr. Hieu said.