On Feb. 25 Fukuoka City announced that the area welcomed 3.09 million international visitors last year. This is an increase of 110,000 on the total for 2017 and represents the first time the figure has exceeded 3 million. This is the seventh consecutive year that the number of overseas visitors to Fukuoka has risen and accounts for 60% of the entire figure for Kyushu. Approximately 2.41 million people entered the country through Fukuoka Airport. The Port of Hakata was a point of entry for 140,000 international visitors. A further 540,000 cruise ship passengers were granted entry permission for sightseeing purposes. Korean (1.58 million – excluding people who arrived by ship and were granted entry for sightseeing), Taiwanese (320,000), and Chinese (210,000) travelers made up the bulk of international visitors to Fukuoka. The city noted that the rise in tourists is tied to the number of direct flights between Fukuoka and other parts of Asia. The local government hopes that the city’s involvement in the Rugby World Cup this year will help attract visitors from Europe and the United States. Note: The figures in this report are based on people passing through immigration checkpoints in Kyushu. It does not count the many foreigners who arrive daily into Kyushu on domestic flights, trains, or by car. That explains the low count of visitors from countries outside of Asia. Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, 2/27/2019
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