Japan, China, and South Korea Unite for Regional Tourism Growth

Tourism ministers from Japan, China, and South Korea have committed to boosting the number of cross-border tourists between their countries to 40 million by 2030. 

During a two-day meeting in Kobe, Japan, Japan’s Tourism Minister Tetsuo Saito, China’s Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Zhang Zheng, and South Korea’s Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Yu In Chon discussed strategies to achieve this target, including increasing flights to regional airports in their countries.

The ministers emphasized the importance of strengthening regional connectivity to revitalize local economies. They also agreed to address issues like overtourism and pledged to improve accessibility for families, elderly travelers, and people with disabilities as part of their sustainable tourism efforts.

This trilateral meeting marked the first since 2019, following a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ministers noted that the goal of 30 million cross-border tourists, set in an earlier meeting, was achieved in 2018, two years ahead of schedule. They now aim to restore tourist numbers to pre-pandemic levels by 2025 and further increase them to 40 million by 2030.

As part of Japan’s economic growth strategy, the country is also targeting 60 million foreign visitors annually by 2030. While the weak yen has contributed to an increase in visitors from China and South Korea, outbound travel from Japan to these countries has yet to recover fully.

Source: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/japan-china-and-south-korea-unite-for-regional-tourism-growth/