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The UK Expects More Tourists from Japan This Year
The United Kingdom expects a record number of tourists from Japan in 2019. London hotels, as well as hotels in other major cities of the country, have always been very popular with Japanese tourists. Actually, the number of travelers from Japan has been growing since 2007 and is expected to become a record this year. This has become possible thanks to constantly strengthening cultural and economic relations of both countries.
According to the information provided by VisitBritain, the number of visits from Japan can reach 270,000 in 2019. That is 9% more than in 2017. Last year was also good for tourism from Japan to the UK – within just six months of 2018, there were as many as 119,000 visits from Japan to the United Kingdom. That marked an increase of 10% compared to the same period of 2017. Japanese visitors also leave significant money during their travel in the UK. This year, their total spending is expected to reach £285 million or £5 million more than the result of 2017 (£250 million).
Starting from summer 2019, it is will be even more simple and pleasant for holders of Japanese passports to enter the UK thanks to the new ePassport gates. As the UK is leaving the EU, the country’s government was urged to develop a new global immigration system. At the moment, the new ePassport gates are available to EU citizens only. They allow crossing the border faster and processing eligible visitors in a fast and secure way.
Growing airplane connections also add to the popularity of the UK. Starting from April, a new non-stop flight from Osaka to London will become available to travelers. The countries are committed to improving their cultural and economic ties, and increasing the number of visitors is one more step in understanding each other’s culture better. More British people are also expected to visit Japan in the coming years as this year the country hosts the Rugby World Cup. Next year, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are sure to attract many travelers.
In order to draw the attraction of Japanese travelers to the UK, VisitBritain launched its global campaign “I Travel For…” in Japan in 2018. This campaign was targeted at less known attractions and unexpected experiences that travelers can find in the UK. Japanese visitors are also highly spending guests – the average spending of a Japanese guest was £1,011 per visit in 2017, which was significantly higher than the market average of £625. Japanese travelers are also interested in visiting the UK – they ranked the country 4th out of top 50 most sought after destinations and praised rich cultural heritage and vibrant cities of the United Kingdom.
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