Published on
September 28, 2025
The flow of Japanese travellers to Hong Kong has witnessed a promising rise, offering encouragement to the city’s tourism authorities who have been striving to attract greater numbers from the Land of the Rising Sun. Over the first half of the current year, arrivals from Japan registered a strong increase, indicating that momentum is slowly returning even in a market seen as traditionally cautious when it comes to overseas travel.
Between January and July, a total of 395,375 Japanese visitors arrived in Hong Kong. This large influx represented a 32.2 percent growth when compared with the same period in 2024. Tourism officials have described this uptick as a healthy development, although it still remains below the figures seen before the pandemic, when Japanese tourism to Hong Kong was at its peak.
Tourism Numbers in Perspective
Despite the encouraging upward swing, the current visitor count is still about 46 percent lower than the figures recorded in 2018. That year represented the final period of stability before the global tourism industry collapsed under the weight of the coronavirus pandemic. Travel restrictions, safety concerns, and the suspension of international mobility left a deep imprint on visitors’ confidence across all markets, and Japan was no exception.
The recovery therefore is being described by industry observers as a partial but positive sign. Rebuilding trust among Japanese travelers, reigniting interest in international journeys, and adapting to new challenges such as currency fluctuations remain core tasks for the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
The Role of the Weak Yen
A central challenge influencing international travel from Japan has been the prolonged weakness of the Japanese yen. The depreciation of the currency has significantly affected the affordability of overseas trips for many Japanese families. While Hong Kong maintains strong appeal as a short-haul destination with cultural familiarity and shopping diversity, higher travel costs contribute to hesitation from potential travelers.
Tourism authorities, however, view the 32 percent increase as particularly meaningful in light of these economic constraints. The fact that nearly 400,000 Japanese opted to travel abroad to Hong Kong despite the yen’s weakness highlights the effectiveness of ongoing promotional strategies as well as the strength of Hong Kong’s draw as an international city.
A Market with High Potential but Unique Challenges
Representatives of the Hong Kong Tourism Board have long emphasized that the Japanese market is a difficult one to activate and sustain at high levels of outbound traffic. Travel habits in Japan are deeply influenced by cultural attitudes toward safety, frugality, and convenience.
Marii Hayashi, assistant manager of public relations at the HKTB’s Tokyo office, noted that many Japanese residents remain cautious about traveling abroad. A significant reason is that during the pandemic years, large numbers of Japanese residents allowed their passports to expire and have yet to renew them. The simple administrative barrier of securing a new passport has, in practice, kept many potential travelers away from foreign destinations.
Another challenge involves changes in consumer habits. Before the pandemic, overseas travel was routine for many Japanese citizens; however, with the prolonged closure of borders and emphasis on domestic tourism, considerable numbers appear to have grown accustomed to traveling within Japan instead of abroad. This internal focus has reduced the urgency of international travel, at least in the immediate sense.
Restoring Travel Confidence in Japan
To address these habits, the HKTB has embarked on a series of targeted campaigns to highlight Hong Kong’s attractions. The city has consistently promoted itself as a gateway offering a blend of modern urban charm, cultural heritage, and easy accessibility from Japan. Short travel times by air continue to make Hong Kong one of the most convenient overseas destinations for Japanese visitors.
Marketing efforts have also highlighted unique experiences meant to appeal to Japanese preferences, such as culinary exploration, luxury shopping, and cultural festivals. In addition, the tourism board has sought to engage younger travelers through digital campaigns and travel influencers. These strategies aim to reignite the excitement for foreign travel while positioning Hong Kong as both affordable and enriching, despite challenges posed by economic and psychological barriers.
Tourism as Part of Wider Regional Competition
The revival of Japanese tourism to Hong Kong is also occurring in the context of regional competition. Cities such as Seoul, Taipei, and Bangkok continue to attract significant numbers of Japanese tourists due to cultural ties, affordability, and accessibility.
For Hong Kong to maintain and expand its share of the market, continued innovation in tourism promotions will be essential. Tailored packages, special flight offers, and partnership-driven marketing with airlines and travel agencies are expected to form an important part of the strategy over the next few years.
Looking Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Before COVID-19, Hong Kong was a leading international destination for Japanese travelers, with annual arrivals crossing the million mark. The figures of 2018 reflected not only the strength of Japan’s outbound tourism activity but also the centrality of Hong Kong in regional mobility. The pandemic disrupted those patterns severely, forcing both travelers and destinations to adapt.
Now, seven years after that peak, recovery is progressing but at a slower rate than some other markets. Analysts suggest that it will take sustained engagement and perhaps several more years for Hong Kong to regain, and potentially surpass, the levels once observed.
The Symbolism of 2025’s Tourist Growth
The increase seen in 2025 is not only statistical; it symbolizes a crucial shift in the rebuild of tourism confidence between Japan and Hong Kong. Each returning group of Japanese visitors brings added momentum to the hospitality industry in the Chinese city, which continues to see tourism as one of its key economic pillars.
Encouraging arrivals also support Hong Kong’s broader strategy to position itself once again as Asia’s global city, with tourism, culture, and connectivity forming major elements of its international identity.
