Cherry blossom viewing, also known as hanami, is a seasonal activity and a favorite practice for many people in Japan.
This is an opportunity for friends and family to gather, chat and have fun, while boosting the economy.
This year, the economic impact of hanami is estimated at about 1.140 billion yen ($7,7 billion), nearly double the 616 billion yen of the year, according to Katsuhiro Miyamoto, professor emeritus at Kansai University in Osaka. last year.
Expert Miyamoto commented: “Hanami, the tradition of enjoying cherry blossoms, has long been a nationwide event in Japan and beautiful cherry blossoms have now become a tourist asset, attracting tourists. foreign."
The increased economic impact is partly due to restrictions such as bans on gatherings and parties being lifted since the government downgraded the spread of COVID-19 to the level of seasonal flu in May 5.
In a report released last week, Professor Miyamoto expected the number of foreign tourists to Japan this year to increase by 32% compared to last year.
Professor Miyamoto also pointed out that other factors contributing to the increase in economic benefits of hanami activities are rising prices of products, including souvenirs, while the yen is depreciating.
Daily per capita spending by foreign visitors is estimated at 30.286 yen, up from 28.580 yen last year, due to the weaker Japanese currency.
Based on travel agency JTB's estimates for 2024, about 3,73 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Japan during the hanami season – from late March in the southern Kyushu region to early May in Hokkaido.
As the hanami season approaches, travel agencies have received many bookings from tourists wishing to visit Japan.
All Japan Tours, a company based in California and mainly serving customers from Europe and the US, reported a 300% increase in profits compared to pre-pandemic levels.
“With the Japanese Government fully lifting travel restrictions, our booking procedure has been significantly streamlined. Therefore, our group tours are in greater demand, while private tour bookings are fully booked,” said Mr. Kiyoshi Katsume, representative of All Japan Tours.
However, not all travel companies operate well. Hankyu Travel, a unit that provides tours for domestic tourists, said the number of visitors has decreased by 70% compared to last year.
This is because travelers choose to go abroad in the post-pandemic era.
In recent years, some tourists have chosen to book guided tours on platforms such as Airbnb and Klook instead of booking through travel agencies because of the greater variety of options and lower rates. lower price./.
