On June 27, the Liaison Council of Travel Agents Receiving Chinese Visitors to Japan (Churenkyo), consisting of travel agencies handling Chinese visitors to Japan, held its 24th ordinary general meeting and seminar. At the general meeting, Chairman Shinya Kurosawa (Director, JTB Global Marketing & Travel, JTBGMT) resigned, and Tsuneo Ishida, President and Executive Officer of JTBGMT, was appointed as the new Chairman.
At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Shinya Kurosawa, the former president, reviewed the past since he took office in 2020 and said, “The threat of Corona is now a thing of the past, and all waterfront measures have been lifted. All that remains is to wait for the resumption of healthy international exchange in tourism. （I am convinced that the resumption of group travel (from China to Japan) will surely lead to a rapid increase in demand from China,” he said, adding that there are high expectations for a resurgence in travel consumption, including brisk shopping.
As for the future, he said, “We would like to work closely with industry players in both China and Japan, and engage in specific activities to play a role in the growth of new inbound tourism to Japan with a good balance between quality and quantity.
Meanwhile, Tsuneo Ishida, the new chairman, expressed his delight that 2023 is the 45th anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China, and that inbound tourism is recovering, saying, “I consider it a heavy responsibility (to assume the chairman’s position) to prepare for the upcoming Chinese market movements. I would like to prepare for the opening of the Chinese market together with everyone.
In addition, Mr. Ishida pointed out the current situation in which “Japanese travel agencies that are responding to the rapid recovery of the market for inbound travel to Japan are flattening out. He stressed that “it is our mission” to prepare for the time when Chinese travel to Japan recovers in earnest and a large number of Chinese visit Japan, and he expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We would like to work together so that as many Chinese as possible can come to Japan, enjoy culture, history, and nature, interact with Japanese people, and bring back to China, which will be a great opportunity to promote friendship between Japan and China. We would like to work together to make this a great opportunity for friendship between Japan and China.
Guest of honor Yoko Terai, Director of the Asian Market Promotion Office, International Tourism Division, Japan Tourism Agency, explained the current status of the Chinese market in Japan, noting that the number of Chinese visitors to Japan from January to May was about 10% of the 19-year level due to a ban by the Chinese authorities on group tour sales to Japan.
He added, “It is not that nothing can be done now. I hope that Chinese visitors will take advantage of the unique charms of Japan’s regions, such as food culture, activities, and local specialties, and visit the regions when tours by Chinese visitors to Japan resume,” he said, introducing the Japan Tourism Agency’s “Tourism Restart Project,” which introduces local events for visitors to Japan. He also called on travel agencies to prepare products that incorporate the “Tourism Restart Project” into their destinations.
Mr. Ryuichiro Kobayashi, Chief Administrative Officer, Foreign Nationals Division, Consular Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, “From the perspective of how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can build friendly relations between Japan and China, we have great expectations for tourism from China,” and explained that electronic visas have been available for China since June 19.
The visa program is being implemented on a trial basis for temporary visitor visas for sightseeing purposes of 30 days or less, and about 1,000 people have already used the visas. We are ready and waiting for the day when the ban on group travel is lifted and we can provide as many visas as needed,” he said.
The Chinese side was represented by Mr. Ouyang An, Chief Representative of the China National Tourism Organization in Tokyo. He explained that Chinese travel is recovering rapidly, partly due to the increase in demand for return trips, and that during the Labor Day holiday (April 29-May 3), the first major holiday weekend after the new Corona-related restrictions were eased, the number of domestic travelers totaled 274 million, up 70.9% from the previous year and 19% higher than before the Corona. The number of domestic travelers totaled 274 million, up 70.9% from the previous year. He said that overseas travel is also recovering steadily, with 3,963,000 people leaving the country for the three-day weekend in June, up 39% from the previous year and 64.6% of the 19-year total.
With international flights between Japan and China gradually recovering and airfares falling, Mr. Kuroda stressed that “a full-fledged recovery in the number of Chinese overseas travelers will be a great tailwind for the global tourism industry,” thanks to revenge demand that had been suppressed for three years by the Corona. In addition to expectations for the early lifting of the ban on group tours, he called on Japanese to come to China and enjoy sightseeing, as tourism is a two-way street.
Two seminars were held after the general meeting. Ms. Gako Takiguchi, Director of the Asian Market Promotion Office, International Tourism Division of the Japan Tourism Agency, gave a presentation on “Trends in the Chinese Market in the After Corona,” explaining changes in Chinese travel patterns, etc. Comparing Chinese travel patterns from 2012 to 2019, the ratio of group tourism to individual travel was 7:3 in 2012, but 3:7 in 2019, showing a sharp increase in individual travel. In 2019, the ratio will be 3 to 7, with a sharp increase in individual travel. In addition to an increasing number of travelers seeking deep experiences, there is a shift from goods consumption to things consumption and an increase in the number of people emphasizing experiences. In addition, Chinese people are highly interested in snow.
The company believes that sending visitors to regions other than the Golden Route will be an issue in the future, and will promote content centering on nature, traditional culture, and food in order to encourage repeat visitors to disperse to the regions and to attract first-timers. The “general tourism” category is for couples, partners, and families with children who have visited Japan before, while the “high value-added travel” category is for those with a monthly disposable household income of 2.15 million yen or more. In addition, he also explained about the “model tourist destinations” set up by the Japan Tourism Agency in March to create high value-added inbound tourism destinations, and 11 regions are working to attract visitors to Japan, including Chinese tourists.
In the other seminar, Mr. Yasumasa Kawamura, a councilor of the Regional Affairs and Tourism Department, Momentum Building Bureau, Japan Association for the International Exposition, Japan, explained about the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo), using image maps and videos to introduce the Expo site, which just broke ground on April 13. The highlight of the Expo is the “Great Roof (Ring),” which is said to be the world’s largest wooden structure, with a circumference of approximately 2 km.
Currently, 153 countries and regions and eight international organizations have officially announced their participation in the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and on April 27, China also signed an official participation agreement. Mr. Kawamura proposed the creation of tours that combine the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and appealed, “We hope that everyone will bring Chinese visitors to western Japan.
The Osaka-Kansai Expo is expected to attract 3.5 million visitors from overseas and 28.2 million visitors in total. The Expo will promote “Expo + National Tourism,” sending visitors to the region and providing information through a portal site with the aim of developing tours and experience content. The promotion will be carried out in cooperation with the Japan Tourism Agency and JNTO.
© Source travel watch
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