The decade-long slide of the number of visitors to the United States from its number two overseas source market, Japan, has affected all outbound travel from the country, not just that of the USA. According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of Japanese who traveled abroad in July was 1.32 million, a 6 percent drop compared to the same month last year. From January to July this year, the number of overseas travelers decreased by 5.1 percent—down to 8,944,500. The downward trend in outbound travel by Japanese, which began with June 2014, has now continued unabated for 14 consecutive months.
Japanese Outbound Travelers
| Month | 2014 | 2015 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1,253,404 | 1,235,612 | -1.4 |
| February | 1,404,873 | 1,257,154 | -10.5 |
| March | 1,596.75 | 1,534,026 | -3.9 |
| April | 1.189,132 | 1,144,833 | -3.7 |
| May | 1,280,765 | 1,262,103 | -1.5* |
| June | 1,289,029 | 1,190,805 | -7.6* |
| July | 1,414,912 | 1,320,000* | -6.7* |
| Year-to-date (thru July) | 9,428,866 | 8,944,500* | -5.1* |
Source: JNTO
* Preliminary estimate by JNTO
A Static Market: In the 10-year period from 2005 through 2014, arrivals from Japan dropped 8 percent. And the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) projects that they will drop another three percent this year.
| Year | Arrivals | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 3,884 | -- |
| 2006 | 3,673 | -5% |
| 2007 | 3,531 | -4% |
| 2008 | 3,250 | -8% |
| 2009 | 2,918 | -10% |
| 2010 | 3,386 | 16% |
| 2011 | 3,250 | -4% |
| 2012 | 3,698 | 14% |
| 2013 | 3,730 | 1% |
| 2014 | 3,579 | -4% |
| 2015 | 3,472? | -3% |
ᶠ = Forecast
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO)
Meanwhile, according to JNTO, overseas travel to Japan is booming. Foreign arrivals to Japan grew by 51 percent, year-on-year, in July, to 1,918,000 visitors. Year-to-date (through July) for 2015, 11,058,300 foreigners visited Japan, a 46.9 percent increase from the same period last year.
