The Cultural Review

Outbound Tourism

1 article

Young Middle Eastern tourists joyfully exploring a vibrant Tokyo street, captivated by anime and manga culture, showcasing the impact of fandom on travel.
Culture

Fandom culture drives 40% surge in Middle East outbound tourism

In 2024, over 11 percent of all overseas tourists to Japan cited anime, manga, or gaming as their primary motivation, a figure projected to be even higher among Arab visitors by 2026.

Yasmin El-Sayed·April 17, 2026