Number of visitors to Hiroshima sets new record in 2016
Jun. 1, 2017
by Hiroaki Watanabe, Staff Writer
The City of Hiroshima announced on May 31 that the number of visitors to the city in 2016 reached 12,611,000 people, marking the latest record-high over the past six straight years. This was an increase of 5.1 percent, or 614,000 people, since last year. At the same time, the number of international visitors has set a new record in each of the past five years. According to the city government, factors behind this surge include then U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Hiroshima last May and the success of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, Hiroshima’s professional baseball team.
Of the total number of visitors, 11,112,000 were ordinary tourists (an increase of 4.5 percent), 323,000 were students on school trips (a decrease of 3.6 percent), and 1,176,000 were international visitors (an increase of 14.3 percent).
The number of visitors from abroad surpassed one million for the first time in 2015 and has been growing at a double-digit rate. One factor behind this rise was Mr. Obama’s visit to the city, while another factor was the second-place ranking, for three consecutive years, given to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Atomic Bomb Dome among popular tourist destinations in Japan, as voted by international travelers at the world’s largest travel website. In addition, promotional efforts online have been strengthened in such countries as the United States and Australia.
According to the Tourism Department of the City of Hiroshima, many fans of the city’s professional baseball team came from all over Japan to attend a parade held to celebrate the team’s first Central League championship in 25 years. This excitement over the team’s success is believed to have had a positive impact on tourism in general. Although the number of students on school trips has declined, this is because the large figure from the previous year was due to a worldwide event for Boy Scouts held in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 2015. If the number of these participants that visited Hiroshima is taken into account, the number of students coming to Hiroshima is actually on the rise, noted the Tourism Department.
The number of international visitors who stayed at least one night in Hiroshima was 5,428,000 (an increase of 12.5 percent), accounting for 43 percent of the total number of tourists. The total consumption by tourists amounted to 229.7 billion yen (an increase of 6 percent), with each person spending around 18,220 yen (an increase of 0.9 percent).
The number of international visitors to Japan is likely to continue rising until 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The Tourism Department is considering what steps the city can take to attract more tourists to Hiroshima.
(Originally published on June 1, 2017)
The City of Hiroshima announced on May 31 that the number of visitors to the city in 2016 reached 12,611,000 people, marking the latest record-high over the past six straight years. This was an increase of 5.1 percent, or 614,000 people, since last year. At the same time, the number of international visitors has set a new record in each of the past five years. According to the city government, factors behind this surge include then U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Hiroshima last May and the success of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, Hiroshima’s professional baseball team.
Of the total number of visitors, 11,112,000 were ordinary tourists (an increase of 4.5 percent), 323,000 were students on school trips (a decrease of 3.6 percent), and 1,176,000 were international visitors (an increase of 14.3 percent).
The number of visitors from abroad surpassed one million for the first time in 2015 and has been growing at a double-digit rate. One factor behind this rise was Mr. Obama’s visit to the city, while another factor was the second-place ranking, for three consecutive years, given to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Atomic Bomb Dome among popular tourist destinations in Japan, as voted by international travelers at the world’s largest travel website. In addition, promotional efforts online have been strengthened in such countries as the United States and Australia.
According to the Tourism Department of the City of Hiroshima, many fans of the city’s professional baseball team came from all over Japan to attend a parade held to celebrate the team’s first Central League championship in 25 years. This excitement over the team’s success is believed to have had a positive impact on tourism in general. Although the number of students on school trips has declined, this is because the large figure from the previous year was due to a worldwide event for Boy Scouts held in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 2015. If the number of these participants that visited Hiroshima is taken into account, the number of students coming to Hiroshima is actually on the rise, noted the Tourism Department.
The number of international visitors who stayed at least one night in Hiroshima was 5,428,000 (an increase of 12.5 percent), accounting for 43 percent of the total number of tourists. The total consumption by tourists amounted to 229.7 billion yen (an increase of 6 percent), with each person spending around 18,220 yen (an increase of 0.9 percent).
The number of international visitors to Japan is likely to continue rising until 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The Tourism Department is considering what steps the city can take to attract more tourists to Hiroshima.
(Originally published on June 1, 2017)
