Do tourists to Japan prefer “cheap travel”? , International tourists are increasing and per capita consumption is decreasing Accommodation | Consumption Habits | Convenience Stores

Japan's "Golden Week" has just passed, but the enthusiasm of international tourists to travel to Japan still exists.

Data shows that although the total consumption of international tourists in Japan has reached a record high, Japan's tourism industry is facing another problem: the number of international tourists has increased and per capita consumption has decreased. This has also resulted in a situation where many companies are prospering but making meager profits.

Analysts believe that this trend is related to tourists visiting Japan’s preference for free attractions and changes in consumption habits.

According to statistics from the Japan Tourism Bureau, the consumption of international tourists from January to March this year reached approximately 1.75 trillion yen, an increase of 73.3% over the same period last year, and an increase of 52% over the same period in 2019 before the epidemic. Judging from the annual consumption volume, 2024 is expected to break the record high of 5.3 trillion yen set in 2023.

Last year, the Japanese government formulated a new plan to revitalize the tourism economy, including increasing the annual consumption of international tourists to 5 trillion yen and per capita consumption to 200,000 yen.

In addition, the plan also uses the keywords of "sustainable tourism" and "attracting tourists to the countryside" to try to divert tourists.

Now in the context of a weak yen, the above goals are expected to be or have been achieved.

However, from another perspective, the average expenditure of tourists to Japan has shown a downward trend in recent years. Three sets of data show that the average consumption of international tourists in 2022 will be about 230,000 yen, about 210,000 yen in 2023, and less than 210,000 yen in the last quarter.

In addition, "cruise passengers" are spending less. Because the cruise ship itself provides meals and accommodation, this type of traveler typically does not spend a lot of money in the ports of call.

Data show that in the first quarter of this year, the per capita consumption of tourists taking cruise ships to Japan was only about 30,000 yen, which is far lower than the per capita consumption in 2023 and 2019.

In January this year, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reiterated the previous goal set by the Japanese government, which is to receive 60 million tourists and tourist spending of 15 trillion yen by 2030. This means that each tourist must spend 250,000 yen.

Outsiders believe that even if the yen exchange rate continues to weaken, the above goals will be difficult to achieve. According to previous reports by "News", the number of international tourists visiting Japan in 2023 will be approximately 25 million, which is far from the target number.

Behind the decrease in per capita consumption of tourists visiting Japan is the increasing popularity of "material-free" tourism.

The outside world has discovered that more tourists are beginning to flock to places where they can visit for free. It is reported that famous Japanese attractions such as Sensoji Temple, Kiyomizu Temple, and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine are open to tourists free of charge.

In addition, some tourists come to Japan for the purpose of "cruising", which is to check out the same scenes that appear in anime. Their destinations usually belong to public areas in the city, such as railway crossings in Kamakura and stairs next to Tokyo subway stations.

This year, a convenience store near Mount Fuji became popular on social platforms due to its unique view. Tourists flock here just to take photos at this natural spot. Due to the excessive flow of people, the local government recently set up a "black network" to block the mountain view to prevent tourists from gathering to take photos.

Such "unexpected travel" has become more and more extreme on the Internet. Reports show that some netizens have begun to brag about their ways of "saving money" in Japan, such as taking the Shinkansen without paying, reusing cable car tickets, etc.

As these behaviors become more common, relevant agencies have also revised travel guides, calling on tourists in Japan to travel in a civilized manner and travel during off-peak hours.

Some analysts believe that the reason why the per capita consumption of tourists visiting Japan has decreased is also related to the changing consumption habits of tourists.

Especially against the background of the falling yen exchange rate, more and more budget tourists are choosing Japan as a travel destination.

From the perspective of consumption content, compared with the same period in 2019, the proportion of international tourists visiting Japan's expenditure on accommodation and dining has increased in the first quarter of 2023, but the proportion of expenditure on shopping has declined.

In fact, compared with European and American countries, leisure and entertainment consumption has always been a shortcoming of Japan's tourism industry. In other words, tourists to Japan are more willing to spend their budget on accommodation and meals instead of paying to experience various entertainment options.

In fact, before the epidemic, the per capita consumption of tourists visiting Japan had declined. At that time, tourists’ experience deteriorated due to overtourism, and some people believed that there were not many local natural sightseeing and entertainment options.

In addition, Japanese products that are popular among foreign tourists are relatively cheap, such as sandwiches and discounted snacks at 7-11 convenience stores.

Many netizens love to eat food from Japan’s 7-11 convenience stores

Even local tourists are beginning to prefer "cheap travel." Hideo Kumano, chief economist of Japan's Dai-ichi Life Economic Research Institute, analyzed that as Japan's inflation continues, Japanese people cannot significantly reduce their spending on food and electricity bills, so they have to save money on leisure and entertainment, and make more choices during holidays with relatively low prices. Cheap excursions.

Some analysts pointed out that if the yen appreciates, it will also pose a challenge to Japan's tourism industry, which is based on economy.