After the New York Times selected Yamaguchi City in Yamaguchi Prefecture as one of the "2024 places to visit in 52," the Shinya Kato Laboratory at Yamaguchi University's Faculty of Economics calculated the economic impact of an increase in tourists on Yamaguchi Prefecture's specialty products and ingredients, finding it to be worth 21 billion yen.
According to Yamaguchi University, the survey was conducted by Associate Professor Shinya Kato, who heads the laboratory, and his lab students, who interviewed 246 tourists who visited Yamaguchi City as well as 37 restaurants and hotels in Yamaguchi City to calculate the economic impact.
その結果、2024年1年間に発生する経済効果は、フグが3億5,600万円、地酒が4億9,000万円、瓦そばが3億7,600万円、外郎が3億600万円、夏ミカンが1億3,500万円と出た。これらを合計した山口県の特産品や食材に与える経済効果は21億6,200万円となった。
In May, Shinya Kato's laboratory estimated that the New York Times' selection would have an economic impact of 5 billion yen on Yamaguchi Prefecture as a whole, and found that nearly a quarter of that amount was for the prefecture's food.
Every year, the New York Times publishes a ranking of recommended travel destinations. For 2024, North America, where a total solar eclipse can be seen, came in first, followed by Paris, France, where the Olympic Games will be held, and Yamaguchi City, known as the "Western Capital" and home to many beautiful temples and shrines, in third place. Morioka City in Iwate Prefecture, which came in second in 1, has seen an increase in foreign tourists visiting Japan and rises in apartment prices. The tourism and real estate industries are paying close attention to whether Yamaguchi City will see a similar ripple effect.
reference:[Yamaguchi University] "Yamaguchi Food" has an economic impact of 21 billion yen - The impact of Yamaguchi City being selected as one of the New York Times' "6,200 Places to Visit in 2024"
[The New York Times] 52 Places to Go in 2024
