The Japan Tourism Agency recently announced that the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan in 2023 will be 25,066,100, which has recovered to 80% of the pre-pandemic level of 2019.
However, the total spending of foreign tourists in 23 years was 5,292.3 trillion yen, surpassing the record high of 4,813.5 billion yen in 19 years.
The sharp increase in tourist arrivals and spending was mainly due to the full reopening of Japan in May last year, coupled with the depreciation of the yen and rising prices, which boosted consumption.
According to statistics, the per capita spending amount of foreign tourists is 212,000 yen, a significant increase of 33.8% from 19 years. By category, accommodation expenses accounted for 34.6% of 1,828.9 billion yen, up from 29.4%, followed by shopping at 1,395.4 billion yen, down from 34.7% to 26.4%.
As can be seen from the data, overseas tourists have shifted from simply buying and shopping to focusing more on travel experiences and experiencing Japanese culture.
Under these circumstances, the accommodation industry in Japan is ushering in spring. Many well-known hotels have increased their prices, such as the Imperial Palace Hotel in Tokyo, where the average room rate has risen from 70,000 yen in '19 to 100,000 yen, and about 70% of the guests are foreigners.
The world's eighth Bulgari hotel has also been announced to be in Tokyo, and the 250,000 yen a night in a premium suite is not something that ordinary people can afford, but it still receives rave reviews.
For ordinary tourists, it is more likely to stay in a variety of cheap hotels and homestays, which are cheap and close to scenic spots. Among the foreigners who travel to Japan, the number of tourists from mainland Taiwan and mainland China ranks the top two, and Hong Kong ranks fifth, so it has become a hot business opportunity for Chinese people to invest in homestays in Japan.
It is not difficult for foreigners to operate a homestay in Japan, and it is enough to apply for a business management visa, but first of all, you must understand the three types of homestays in Japan:
1. Basic homestay
In 2018, Japan implemented the Residential Lodging Business Act, which allows you to operate a one-family building or apartment purchased by yourself as a guesthouse, but there are restrictions on the size of the guest room, outsourcing to a management company, and the number of days a year is limited to 180 days.
The application for this type of homestay will be simpler and the application time is relatively faster, but the disadvantage is that it can only be opened for half a year of the year, which can only be counted as a side income.
2. Tourism Law Homestay
Japan's Hotel Business Act sets strict standards for the installation of fire-fighting equipment and ventilation and lighting, focusing on ensuring the hygiene and safety of guests.
However, this type of homestay can be operated in the same way as a normal inn, and there are no restrictions such as time and management company, so you can get more profits.
3. B&B in the National Strategic Special Zone
Localities designated as National Strategic Special Zones by the Japanese government can relax the provisions of the Hotel Business Act and operate guesthouses in Ota City, Osaka Prefecture, Chiba City, and other places in Tokyo.
The disadvantage of the special zone homestay is that a single stay needs to be more than 2 days, and single-day accommodation is not accepted, so it is clear that this type of homestay is mainly for the convenience of foreigners traveling to Japan.
In the future, the number of tourists in Japan will gradually rise, but the accommodation market in Japan is not yet saturated, if you have the idea of buying a house in Japan and investing, it is better to know about the information related to homestays.
If you want to rent a house in Japan, remember to pay attention to Tokyo Aifang!