What’s Next for Japan’s Inbound Tourism? Exploring Keywords to Increase the Number of Visitors to Japan

How has the “Japan Brand” fared in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?
What kind of business opportunities are likely to emerge in the future?

In this series, we’ll explore the current state of the Japan brand and Japan’s future potential by examining the latest data from Dentsu Inc.’s proprietary “Japan Brand Survey” ( click here for an overview ), which underwent a major overhaul in 2022 to target high- and middle-income consumers overseas.

In the previous installment, we discussed global trends in overseas travel and the growing popularity of Japan as a travel destination. In this installment, based on the results of the Japan Brand Survey, we’ll consider what is needed to actually attract visitors to Japan and explore strategies for reviving Japan’s inbound tourism in the future.

What Do Visitors Want to Do in Japan? — A Shift Toward “Nature” and Needs That Vary by Country and Region

In the previous article, we noted that interest in “nature” experiences is on the rise as a priority for overseas travel. In response to a question about “experiences of interest when visiting Japan,” three nature-related items—namely, “nature and scenic spot tourism (forests, valleys, rivers, seashores, etc.),” “experiencing the four seasons,” and “nature and scenic spot tourism (Japanese-style gardens)”—occupied the top three spots (Data ①).

“Food,” which ranked first in the pre-COVID survey (2019), did not fare well in this survey, while “hot springs,” which had been in the top three, and “strolling through downtown areas,” which had ranked highly, also dropped in the rankings.Perhaps due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a noticeable trend toward declining popularity for items associated with crowds or close contact with others. As will be discussed later, “hot springs” remain popular in Asia, where anxiety about COVID-19 is high; therefore, rather than dismissing the experience itself, it is necessary to use phrasing that takes into account the sentiment that contact with large, unspecified groups of people is perceived negatively due to the pandemic.

Next, let’s examine the results for the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Thailand—countries with high numbers of visitors to Japan in each region (Data ②). While there is a common trend—with “nature”-related items occupying the top three spots and unique “World Heritage Sites” ranking highly—differences emerge among these countries in other categories.

Even within the broad category of “Western countries,” preferences differ: in the United States, visitors tend to favor viewing historic sites and traditional Japanese structures such as shrines and temples, as well as activities that allow them to experience nature firsthand, such as hiking and camping; in the United Kingdom, there is a higher demand for traditional cultural experiences and culinary experiences.On the other hand, while China and Thailand share common interests such as hot springs and shopping, differences are evident even within “Asia”: in China, there is a growing demand for traditional cultural experiences and highly entertaining activities like theme parks, whereas in Thailand, there is a rising demand for experiences that allow visitors to enjoy the changing seasons, such as fruit picking.

Particularly in Europe and the United States—where the psychological and physical distance from Japan is greater—it is crucial to adopt a thoughtful approach that not only addresses the top-tier needs for travel to Japan but also takes into account concerns about COVID-19. This approach should carefully combine the detailed differences in needs across the countries and regions mentioned above to foster a desire to visit and ultimately lead to actual travel to Japan.

Where Do You Want to Go in Japan? — Travel Destinations That Are Both “Broader” and “Deeper”

So, where exactly do people overseas want to go in Japan?
Does the growing interest in “nature” influence their choice of destination?

First, when we looked at awareness, experience, and travel intentions by prefecture, “Tokyo” ranked first in all categories, followed by “Hokkaido,” “Osaka,” “Kyoto,” and “Okinawa” (Data ③).

“Tokyo” has consistently ranked first since the survey began, and this trend has remained unchanged even through the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, while recent surveys have shown a growing trend toward “Hokkaido” in East Asia—where repeat visitors to Japan are particularly common—the 2022 survey revealed that “Hokkaido’s” popularity has accelerated. Furthermore, it was found that “Okinawa” is also gaining popularity (Data ④). Since anxiety about COVID-19 remains high, particularly in East Asia, it is presumed that this is having an impact.

Next, when asked more specifically about the “tourist destinations” they would like to visit, the top three were “Mount Fuji,” “Sapporo,” and “Tokyo’s islands (Oshima, Hachijojima, Miyakejima, etc.)” (Data ⑤).It may come as a slight surprise that “Tokyo’s islands” made the list, following “Mount Fuji”—a symbol of Japan—and “Sapporo,” the popular central city of Hokkaido. This is likely due to people being intrigued by the contrast between the image of the city and that of nature, as well as a growing interest in experiencing “nature” firsthand.

Looking at trends by country, in the United States, areas with World Heritage sites were popular, while in the United Kingdom, historical sites such as the “Atomic Bomb Dome” and historical structures like “Himeji Castle” were also popular, suggesting a generally high level of interest in regional destinations.

On the other hand, in China and Thailand, multiple Tokyo districts—such as “Ginza” and “Shinjuku”—made the list, suggesting a desire to revisit familiar places (Tokyo) that travelers have visited before.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an expansion of travel to areas rich in nature and regions offering unique experiences, there is also a desire to explore places people have already visited in greater depth. This suggests that the nature of travel to Japan is becoming increasingly diversified.

What Do People Look at When Planning a Trip to Japan? — “YouTube” Is Overwhelmingly Dominant. Emphasis on “Authenticity” Alongside Word-of-Mouth from People They Know

International travel is picking up, and countries around the world are launching promotional campaigns to attract foreign tourists. Finally, I’d like to consider some specific strategies.

The top three sources of information consulted when gathering information about overseas travel (Note: For China, respondents were surveyed separately using a unique set of options) were “YouTube,” “word-of-mouth from family and friends,” and “Google” (Data ⑥). Other top items included social media platforms such as “Facebook” and “Instagram.”

Based on these results, it appears that consumers—who have come to appreciate the value of travel following the COVID-19 pandemic—are placing increasing importance on “real” information, such as experience-based content on “YouTube” and social media, as well as word-of-mouth from people close to them, when evaluating whether a destination is worth visiting.

However, just as with travel needs, there are distinct characteristics regarding information sources depending on the country or region (Data ⑦).

A comparison of the four countries with the highest numbers of visitors to Japan reveals that print media is most influential in the United States, word-of-mouth from people they know in the United Kingdom, video content in China, and online advertising in Thailand.

By incorporating not only reach efficiency but also the effective methods specific to each country, it is believed that we can achieve an approach with the power to drive action.

The survey results reveal signs that travel to Japan is changing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by the overarching demand for “nature,” the “segmentation” of needs by country and region, and the diversification of travel styles resulting from a balance between “breadth” and “depth.”

Some experts take a positive view, predicting that once restrictions on individual travel are lifted, tourist numbers from Southeast Asia, the United States, and Australia will recover quickly. Rather than viewing this as merely a recovery, it is important to see it as an opportunity for even greater growth and to adopt a new approach that takes into account the changes brought about by the pandemic. We hope you find this article helpful in that regard.

In Parts 1 and 2, we explored the theme of “inbound tourism” and discussed ways to enhance business opportunities in Japan. In the next installment, we will examine the theme of “Japanese Products” to explore Japan’s future potential.

[Contact Information for Inquiries Regarding This Matter]
Dentsu Inc., Japan Brand Project Team
japanbrand@dentsu.co.jp

Japan Brand Research Hub Page
https://www.dentsu.co.jp/knowledge/japan_brand/ 　

[Purpose of the Dentsu Inc. Brand Survey]
Launched in 2011—when the Great East Japan Earthquake led to reputational damage affecting Japanese agricultural and marine products as well as inbound tourism—this is Dentsu Inc.’s proprietary commercial marketing research initiative designed to understand how products and services originating in Japan are perceived globally.The Japan Brand Survey regularly assesses overseas consumers’ perceptions and actual behaviors regarding the Japan brand as a whole, covering areas such as overseas travel, inbound tourism, culture, regional revitalization, Japanese cuisine, Japanese products, and lifestyle. By visualizing shifting consumer sentiments as well as the challenges and potential of the Japan brand, the survey contributes to increasingly complex corporate activities and helps promote cross-cultural understanding within Japanese society.

[Dentsu Inc. Brand Survey 2022: Survey Overview]
・Target Areas: 22 countries and regions (United States, Canada, Mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Finland)
・Sample Size: 8,220 (Breakdown: United States 960, Mainland China 1,260, Other Countries and Regions 300 each)
・Survey Period: December 2021–January 2022
・Eligibility criteria: Men and women aged 20–59 (middle-income or higher)
・Survey Method: Online survey
・Research Organizations: Dentsu Inc. (commissioner), Video Research Ltd. (implementation partner)

[Notes and Disclaimers]
*1: The target areas in mainland China are primarily Tier 1 cities; in India, they are Delhi and Mumbai; in Australia, the Sydney metropolitan area; and in Southeast Asia, they are primarily metropolitan areas.
*2: Definition of middle-income group: Criteria were established for each country based on average national income figures (such as OECD statistics) and socio-economic classification (SEC).
*3: Samples were collected using equal allocation by gender and age group in each country and region, and the data was weighted to reflect the population distribution.
*4: Since the composition ratios in this survey are rounded to the second decimal place (or to the first decimal place where displayed as whole numbers), the totals may not add up to 100%.
*5: In creating the charts and tables for this survey, the names of the countries and regions analyzed use the international standard ISO country codes (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2/3), with a few exceptions.
United States/US/USA, Canada/CA/CAN, Australia/AU/AUS, United Kingdom/UK/GBR, Germany/DE/DEU, France/FR/FRA, Italy/IT/ITA,Spain/ES/ESP, Finland/FI/FIN, United Arab Emirates/UAE, Saudi Arabia/SA/SAU, India/IN/IND, Indonesia/ID/IDN, Singapore/SG/SGP, Malaysia/MY/MYS, Philippines/PH/PHL, Thailand/TH/THA,Vietnam/VN/VNM, Mainland China/CN/CHN, Hong Kong/HK/HKG, Taiwan/TW/TWN, South Korea/KR/KOR
*6: The names of countries and regions used in this survey report and on this website are based on the long-standing views of the Japanese government, as well as Japanese social norms and business practices.
*7: The names of countries and regions used in this survey are for statistical or analytical convenience only and do not imply any political stance or opinion.
*8: The maps used in this survey (world map and map of Japan) have been partially modified and cropped to suit the analysis content and page layout; therefore, they may not necessarily reflect national borders and territorial boundaries accurately.
*9: As a commercial marketing research study aimed at understanding the lifestyle habits and brand preferences of general consumers, this survey has been conducted consistently since its inception through commissioned fieldwork partners, in strict compliance with local laws, regulations, and public order and morals.Surveys conducted in China are carried out through fieldwork contractors who have obtained the “Foreign-Related Survey Permit” required by Chinese authorities; our company does not conduct market research activities within China itself. Furthermore, we monitor and review our operational procedures as necessary in light of developments such as changes in laws and regulations.
*10: The response data collected through this survey is obtained, managed, and processed lawfully in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of each target market. The data we receive consists solely of aggregated data that has been anonymized in a manner that does not allow for the identification of specific individuals and cannot be reversed; it does not contain any personal information.