1.
tourist, sightseer
A person who travels for pleasure and sightseeing.
観光客 means a tourist or sightseer — someone who travels for pleasure. Composed of 観光 (sightseeing) + 客 (guest/customer).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 外国人観光客: foreign tourists
- 観光客が増える: tourists increase
- 観光客向け: aimed at tourists, for tourists
- 観光客を呼び込む: to attract tourists
RELATED WORDS:
- 旅行者: traveler (broader — includes business travelers)
- 観光地: tourist destination/spot
- 観光名所: famous tourist attraction
- インバウンド: inbound tourism (a buzzword in recent years)
USAGE NOTE:
With the growth of inbound tourism to 日本, 観光客 appears frequently in news. The term 訪日観光客 specifically means "tourists visiting Japan."