Do you think Japan's inbound tourism number will increase, decrease or stay the same?
 

After all the hype that JNTO made over Visit Japan Year 2010, they failed to get the promised 10 million inbound tourists. They got around 8.5 million (don't have the source website with me, you'll just have to trust me ;) )

So with this, and all the money they've pumped into trying to attract foreigners but only reaching the tourist levels they had in 2009, do you think the tourism market for Japan will grow much bigger?

Especially from Western countries. Asian countries are where all the hundreds of thousands of tourists per month are coming from, but what about Western where only a few tens of thousands come from, for example, USA per month?

Things could still be shakey from the economy, but Visit Japan Year 2010 didn't do much on the Western front.

I think it may grow a little more, but it's generally looking at levelling out in the next year or so. :p
There always seems to be an interest abroad with anime etc, but it never seems to translate into numbers.

P.S. As a Geography student, I do find these kind of topics interesting :p

I have a feeling that the exchange rate will be detrimental to tourism in Japan. That said, I think most tourists will arrive from Korea and China, as they are closest in distance. China is spreading out and Japan is opening its doors and easing the limitations. The drawback is that Chinese people are buying up Hokkaido!

I never understand how exchange rates are such a big deal in deciding whether you visit a country or not. Whenever I look at exchange rates, I just go with what they are. They only ever seem to fluxuate between a few tens of yen. When added all up, I don't think it'd make too much of a difference from a good rate. Maybe only about £15 (about $20) difference? If I've gotten the concept wrong then feel free to correct me. :D

Yeah, it seems like other Asian countries hold the key. Tourism numbers from places like Korea and Taiwan went up something ridiculous this year. Something like a 150% increase from last year. XD

I took $2600 for spending money when I reserved my trip in March '10.... At that time, the rate was 95, so it would have been 247,000 yen.... By the time I actually went there in October, the rate was 85, so it was 221,000 yen, a difference of 26,000yen or $305.... Now that's not $20....:D

If the exchange rate isn't much of a thing, then why was the US being invaded by Europeans with empty suitcases about a year or so ago? It does make a difference, especially when you're talking large amounts of money....

Since I've been here I've seen the Aussie $ get to around parity with the yen AUD$1: 100 Yen and just after the GFC I've seen it drop to AUD$1: 56 Yen. That's just in the last few years. The exchange rate can make a huge difference on where people decide to travel. The winter where the Aussie $ was low saw a huge drop in Aussie tourists to the ski resort I work at and they make up a large proportion of the total tourists we get each winter.

Yes, I've been to Japan on holidays a few times - I can remember a few years back I was complaining how the food was so darn expensive. That made me think twice about another holiday there. The last time I visited was May last year, and with the strength of Aussie dollar then, everything seemed dirt cheap when I was over there. Your only problem then though, is that you spend a whole lot more in aggregate!

It depends on the world economy and the local economies of those area's they are trying to attract tourrist's from. If people have lot's of free money they will spend it, if they don't, they won't. Aside from the US government, wich hasn't met a debit card it hasn't maxed out.

Ahh, I understand about the exchange rate now guys, thanks. :)

I never thought about it as a long term thing. I was thinking as like... a matter of months or a year, which doesn't change the cost too much. But yeah, I can see how it'd probably go up quite a bit after a few years.