Asia is expected to receive 36.8 million visitors in 2024, the World Tourism Organization says.
Japan is expected to receive a record number of tourists in 2024, as the country's weak economy fueled a boom in tourism, according to government figures.
More than 36.8 million people visited the Asian country for business or pleasure last year, estimates from the Japan National Tourism Organization showed on Wednesday.
These figures surpass the 2019 record of almost 32 million arrivals and compare to 25.07 million visitors in 2023.
Spending by foreign tourists rose to 8.14 trillion yen ($51.78bn), a 53 percent increase from last year.
The increase in immigration has been fueled, in part, by the weakening of the yen, which at one point last year was trading at a 40-year low against the US dollar.
While the influx of tourists has brought relief to Japan's economy after decades of decline, the rise in arrivals has also brought the locals back.
Earlier this week, the government of the city of Kyoto, one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations, announced it would raise hotel access taxes to 10,000 yen ($63) per night as part of a plan to tackle tourism problems.
Kyoto Mayor Koji Matsui said the increased taxes will be used to improve infrastructure such as roads and bridges so that people will “feel” that welcoming tourists will make their lives better.
The move comes as authorities in the historic capital last year barred visitors from Gion's traditional streets following reports of tourists abusing geisha.
Some Japanese governments have also introduced measures to deal with complaints about unsustainable infrastructure and disrespectful tourists.
In June, the mayor of Himeji, Hideyasu Kiyomoto, caused an uproar when he said he would charge foreigners six times as much to enter the UNESCO-listed palace.
Despite the increase in arrivals, Japan still receives fewer tourists per capita than major tourist destinations such as France, Italy and Spain.
According to the Japanese government's tourism policy, the government hopes to attract 60 million tourists by 2030.