This is Shimoyama of IMS Legal Professional Corporation. Earlier this month, the Chinese government announced the lifting of the ban on group travel to Japan starting August 10th. The impact of this announcement has been significant, and after the announcement, inquiries about visas tripled at Tongcheng Travel, a major travel company, according to Chinese media.
Since this announcement, I came across news that the first group of tourists traveling to Japan using ANA arrived at Haneda Airport on the 23rd, traveling from Beijing.
Pre-COVID Travel Trends
Speaking of Chinese tourists, before the pandemic, the term "explosive shopping" became a trend, and during the Spring Festival (Chinese Lunar New Year), Japanese cities were crowded with Chinese visitors.
Before the pandemic in 2019, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan had been increasing for six consecutive years, reaching 9,594,394 people in 2019, nearly reaching 10 million. And according to the trends until 2019 before the pandemic, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan increased the most from July to August, while the decrease was most significant from March to May. In recent years, an increase in Chinese tourists visiting Japan was also observed in January and February, coinciding with the Spring Festival/New Year holiday.
How has the situation changed after the pandemic?
In 2022, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan was 189,125, which was slower in recovery compared to other nationalities. Finally, group travel has been allowed again, but will the situation fully recover to pre-pandemic levels?
Many experts hold cautious views, citing the spreading economic uncertainty within China as a reason. In other words, it is uncertain how much money can be spent on travel consumption. Additionally, the effects of the ocean discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant remain unclear.
The travel industry also holds expectations for the recovery of Chinese tourists. For example, Hato Bus plans to resume Chinese-language tours that had been suspended due to the pandemic from the end of September. The tours will include a course around Mount Fuji, and instead of the previous 44-passenger yellow bus, they will introduce a new 24-passenger luxury bus for some schedules. The fare for adults is set at 16,000 yen, which is 4,000 yen higher than the regular bus; but the seats are spacious, with independent seating in three rows. Safety is also enhanced, and each seat is equipped with power outlets. Coffee and other amenities will also be provided. The company's spokesperson stated that they aimed to differentiate the tours according to the customers' needs.
With the significant changes that have occurred in the past three years due to the pandemic, it remains to be seen whether Chinese tourists known for "explosive shopping" will return to Japan. A cautious approach seems necessary.
