Average hotel room rates in Japan hit a new April record of 23,397 yen, rising 4.6% from last year's high, Nikkei Asia reported Friday, citing data from STR, a CoStar Group subsidiary.
The growth was driven by strong inbound demand from travelers in the U.S., Europe, and Australia, the report said.
In contrast, Chinese visitor numbers dropped as Beijing continued to discourage travel to Japan over political tensions, the news daily said.
Highlighting the sustained demand, Nikkei noted a tour guide managing two- to three-week itineraries across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, with many of those bookings made more than a year in advance.
Hotel demand stayed robust throughout cherry blossom season, supported by favorable weather, Nikkei said.
The weak yen also provided a boost in April compared with last year, the report said, citing hotel operator Hilton.
(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)