Hikonyan's popularity increased tourist visitation of Hikone by over 200,000 annually. The estimate of Hikonyan's effect on the tourist industry is 17.4 billion yen (approximately US$218 million) and the overall economic effects 33.8 billion yen ( US$425 million). Total merchandise sales reached about 1.7 billion yen (US$21 million) as of 2008.[3] In 2010, Hikonyan won first place in the open vote competition of other mascots, collectively known as Yuru-chara