A recent report shows how a growing number of foreign travellers to Japan have experienced or are now experiencing the impact of overtourism in the country.

According to a joint report from the Japan Tourism Board (JTB) Foundation and the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), about 30% of foreign visitors have experienced detrimental overcrowding in tourist destinations or tourism spots. 

The report also showed how there are still large gaps between consciousness and action in maintaining local communities among foreign visitors to Japan, while their awareness about contribution to sustainable tourism has recently been higher than before. 

Travellers behaving badly 

According to the research results, 13 percent of foreign visitors to Japan personally saw or heard of misbehaviour against tourism resources or tourism spots.

Likewise, 11 percent of foreign tourists faced issues regarding accommodations in the quality, ranging from booking problems to the quality of available facilities.

The percentage of respondents who were willing to pay additional fees in order to ease overtourism or preserve tourism resources was a surprising 63 percent, 20 higher points than what was seen back in 2019 prior to the pandemic.

What about sustainability?

70 percent of those surveyed remarked that they now pay closer attention to sustainable efforts when they choose a destination or a hotel. 

Regarding sustainable efforts, awareness still outweighs action in many cases. 

The report showed large gaps between consciousness and action are particularly found in ‘purchasing local products at right prices, avoiding busy places and times, and joining local events.

On the other hand, action took the upper hand as many travellers actively donated contributions for resource preservation, opted not to buy cheaper imitations of traditional local craft products, refraining from using certain single-use amenities at their hotels, and also refraining from asking for unnecessary housekeeping services.