Japan Tourism Agency recently reported consumption trends of regular travelers from China, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong to Japan in 2017. The ratios of regular travelers were 30% from Korea, 25% from Taiwan, 18% from China and 13% from Hong Kong, which accounted for 86% of the total.
Korea: Regular travelers tend to prefer to traveling alone
A Korean regular traveler with 10 or more visits experiences spent 84,000 JPY in Japan on average, which were about 20,000 JPY more than 65,000 JPY spent by a first timer. The report also finds that Korean regular travelers spent more money for ‘appliance,’ ‘camera/video camera/watch’ and ‘clothes/bag/shoes.’ Regarding ‘appliance,’ for instance, a Korean regular traveler with 10 or more visits experiences spent 37,600 JPY, about three times more than 12,000 JPY spent by a traveler with one to nine visits experiences
The ratio of traveling alone was interestingly up from 8% in a first visit to 12% in two to nine visits and to 23% in 10 or more visits.
A regular traveler tended to stay in Japan shorter. Among first timers, 28% stayed in Japan for three days or shorter, and 67% for four to six days. Among regular travelers with 10 or more visits experiences, the ratios were 45% for three days or shorter and 46% for four to six days.
Taiwan: Regular travelers tend to stay in Japan longer
A Taiwanese regular traveler with 10 or more visits experiences spent 146,000 JPY in Japan on average, which were about 27,000 JPY more than 119,000 JPY spent by a first timer. Money spent for ‘clothes/bag/shoes’ by a regular traveler amounted to 29,700 JPY on average, doubling money spent by a first timer. Also, regular travelers with 10 or more visits experiences preferred to onsen (49%) and enjoying Japanese sake (40%).
The ratios of traveling alone were 6% among first timers and 17% among regular travelers with 10 or more visits experiences. However, the ratio of traveling with married couples, partners, families or relatives was 60% or higher regardless of the number of visits.
A Taiwanese regular traveler tended to stay in Japan longer, as the ratio of staying for 7 to 13 days among regular travelers with 0 or more visits experiences was 29%, higher than 13% among first timers.
Hong Kong: Regular travelers tend to spend more money for entertainments
A Hong Kong regular traveler with 10 or more visits experiences spent 198,000 JPY in Japan on average, which were about 55,000 JPY more than 143,000 JPY spent by a first timer. A regular traveler especially spent 57,000 JPY for Japanese Kimono/craft works, much more than 24,000 JPY spent by a first timer. It is noteworthy that regular travelers tended to spend more money for entertainments, such as ‘golfing/theme parks’ or ‘viewing sports or theater.’
Unlike Korean or Taiwanese regular travelers, the ratio of traveling with married couples or partners was 32% among regular traveler with 10 or more visits experiences, higher than 16% among first timers.
Regarding stay days in Japan, four to six days were majority with the ratio of about 50%, regardless of the number of visits, followed by 2 to 13 days with 40%.
China: Regular travelers are equally split into short stay and long stay
A Hong Kong regular traveler with 10 or more visits experiences spent 302,000 JPY in Japan on average, which were about 81,000 JPY more than 221,000 JPY spent by a first timer. More money was spent for shopping, accommodation, food and drink and transportation by regular traveler with 10 or more visits experiences. Interestingly, regular travelers spent 5,200 JPY for money spent for museum/zoo/aquarium, more than 3,300 JPY spent by first timers.
Regarding stay days in Japan, regular traveler with 10 or more visits experiences were split into short stay within three days and long stay from 14 days to a year.
