The Boundaries Between Pre-Trip, During-Trip, and Post-Trip Are Blurring!? The Reality of Inbound Travel to Japan Becoming More "Casual (Flat)"

2024 Japan Brand Survey Japan was selected as the "most desired country to revisit" worldwide.

Visitors from East Asia and ASEAN countries/regions, in particular, have already entered the "repeat" stage of their Japan travel experience.

This suggests that the traditional style of Japan tourism, once considered "standard," and the way travelers gather information beforehand are also changing.

This time, we delve into how the customer journey and mindset of inbound travelers to Japan have changed before and after the pandemic.

We categorized East Asian visitors with Japan travel experience as follows:

• Beginners with 1-3 Japan visits (hereafter abbreviated as "Beginners")

• and those with 4 or more trips (hereafter referred to as "veterans")

We conducted focus group interviews (FGI). The results were fascinating, challenging conventional wisdom in Japan's inbound marketing. We encourage you to read to the end.

[Survey Overview]
・Target Areas: 4 countries/regions (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea)
・Participant criteria: Men and women aged 20–49
・Sample Size: 6 participants per country/region, 24 participants total
　　*Breakdown of 6 participants: Beginners (1-3 Japan visits): 3; Veterans (4+ Japan visits): 3
・Survey Method: Online Focus Group Interview (FGI)
・Survey Period: October 16–24, 2024

【Dentsu Inc. Global Business Center Regional Representatives】
Korea: Lee Kang
Hong Kong: Yasuhiro Yamauchi
Taiwan: Takuya Sugiyama
Mainland China: Hiroshi Masuda

This roundtable discussion saw a wide range of opinions exchanged, revealing significant differences in responses based on country/region and visit frequency. With these differences as a premise, we will introduce the most characteristic findings.

No More Decisions Before Travel!? The Surprising Answer

The traditional approach to inbound marketing for Japan assumed travelers would: - Plan their trip 1-2 months before arrival - Create a shopping list before departure - Follow a largely predetermined schedule during their visit However, this survey revealed that nearly all respondents—regardless of travel experience level or country/region—answered: "I book my hotel and flight over a month in advance, but decide where to eat, shop, and what to buy after arriving in Japan."

Furthermore, the timing for finalizing destinations also varied significantly based on travel companions. Most respondents said that when traveling with family or friends, they needed to coordinate everyone's schedules, so they decided 2-3 months in advance. For solo travelers, however, they could freely adjust their schedules, so they decided just 1-2 weeks before departure. This was especially true for experienced travelers, who increasingly tend to travel alone on whims, leading to more instances of deciding on a trip at the last minute and visiting Japan spontaneously.

Using apps to flexibly change plans during the trip

The shift towards a "decide after arriving in Japan" travel style appears to be driven by the use of apps for gathering information.

In this survey, when asked "Which apps did you use during your visit to Japan?", the app common across all countries and regions was Google Maps. It was used for diverse purposes: searching for transportation options, of course, but also finding information on nearby tourist spots and reading reviews of restaurants.

Furthermore, experienced travelers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea frequently used "Tabelog." Although Tabelog only has Japanese and English versions, they seemed to use the Japanese version, stating, "I can sort of understand it if it's in kanji," or "If I don't understand the words, I use a translation app or ask a friend living in Japan who understands Japanese."

Among the veterans, some dedicated users even stated, "For Japanese information, I only follow accounts that Japanese people themselves are watching on social media," seeking deeper insights. Based on these findings, it is particularly effective for restaurants to strengthen their Google Maps business profile management and ensure their information on platforms like Tabelog is up-to-date to attract inbound tourists.

Beyond restaurants, many voices—regardless of whether they were first-time or seasoned visitors—mentioned flexible behavior, such as "I changed my plans because there was a fireworks festival nearby" or "I canceled my original plans because there was a festival near my hotel."

It's highly likely that something could trigger a change in behavior even during their visit to Japan. If the event is near the hotel where they are staying, this tendency seems even stronger. Some people mentioned seeing a festival poster displayed at their hotel and becoming interested. Hotels appear to be an important contact point for approaches during a visit to Japan.

The app commonly mentioned by Chinese visitors was "Xiaohongshu (RED)". This is likely because Xiaohongshu features many posts by Chinese residents in Japan and offers abundant information about Japan.

Information gathering relies less on influencers and more on "location + purpose" searches on SNS

When asked "Which media do you use for information gathering?", both before and during their visit, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea overwhelmingly cited "Instagram", while mainland China cited "Xiaohongshu". Furthermore, a common characteristic of their information gathering was that they searched using "location + purpose" rather than relying on specific influencer accounts.

Hearing this result might lead one to think, "Is influencer marketing ineffective!?" But that's not the case. Both Instagram and Xiaohongshu display posts highly rated by their algorithms at the top of search results. Rather than simply thinking, "Let's use this influencer because they have many followers," it might be better to consider utilizing highly responsive influencers who have consistently adjusted their content to align with the platform's algorithms.

Is the "shopping list" now obsolete?

This survey revealed that the ease of gathering information while traveling in Japan now influences shopping behavior. Not long ago, it was standard practice for inbound tourists to create "shopping lists" before their trip, and being featured on these lists was considered essential for capturing inbound spending.

Let's revisit the background behind the emergence of shopping lists. For some time after Japan relaxed visa requirements for Chinese visitors in 2010, most tourists from mainland China traveled in groups. They had to shop at designated locations within limited time frames. Furthermore, since means of obtaining information about Japan were still scarce at the time, they needed to research where and what to buy in advance to shop efficiently.

Today, visitors from China and other countries can easily access information about Japan through social media, diminishing the necessity of shopping lists. Looking at the results of this survey, it's no exaggeration to say that "shopping lists" have become a thing of the past.

Amulets are popular souvenirs. Sweets are purchased in bulk at airport duty-free shops

When asked, "What did you buy as souvenirs for friends, family, or yourself?", "amulets" were the response across all countries and regions. Reasons cited include "it's a uniquely Japanese cultural item," "it can only be bought there," and "it easily conveys feelings to the recipient, like wishes for love or health."

Furthermore, in recent years, more shrines have started selling photogenic amulets. It seems an increasing number of visitors to Japan are making shrines and temples their destination, saying things like, "I want to buy this amulet, so I'm going to this shrine." Many responses also mentioned collecting goshuin (temple/shrine stamps).

Additionally, many respondents mentioned buying snacks at airport duty-free shops right before departure. This likely stems from the desire to keep luggage light, purchasing items just before returning home. Overwhelmingly, these shoppers didn't buy pre-planned items but instead chose whatever caught their eye first on the shelves. For retailers aiming to capture souvenir demand, placing point-of-purchase displays and promoting specific items are highly effective strategies to boost sales.

"Idol Activities" Cross Borders ~Purpose of Visiting Japan 2024 Ver.~　

When asked "Why did you choose Japan as your travel destination?", responses like "The food is delicious," "It's close," and "It's safe" remained popular as before. However, unique to 2024, at least one person from each country/region cited "The weak yen" and "Because my favorite idol/artist has a concert here."

Korean idols, in particular, have limited opportunities to hold concerts in Taiwan or Hong Kong, so fans often time their visits to Japan around their concert dates. The same applies to concerts by Japanese idols and artists. Some fans even stated they "buy all the merchandise." Keeping track of these concert schedules in advance may be crucial for marketing to inbound travelers. "Idol fandom" easily crosses borders.

Post-roundtable reflections from each member

Yamauchi (Responsible for Hong Kong)
Hearing everyone speak today made me realize that "travel is becoming more seamless." I was surprised to hear repeatedly from experienced Japan travelers that they "look things up on their smartphones and act on it after arriving in Japan," showing a level of flexibility beyond what I had imagined.

From the perspective of conveying corporate or brand messages, there seem to be many opportunities during the trip itself. However, time is limited during the trip, and rough plans or potential targets are often set before the trip, so a comprehensive communication strategy is required.

Another striking point was that several interviewees cited "attending a concert by a favorite artist" as their reason for visiting Japan. This reaffirms that leveraging the power of content presents a significant opportunity.

Lee (Responsible for Korea)
Comparing the four countries/regions confirmed that leveraging NAVER-related sites is crucial for targeting Korean visitors. The online community "Flying Japan" appears particularly popular. It was also notable that many participants mentioned the early last trains and the early closing times of restaurants. Korea has a strong nighttime dining culture, and there may be a strong desire among visitors to "enjoy Japan later into the night."

Furthermore, I felt that "designing serendipity" is key to advancing the Japan travel experience to the next stage. While this may seem like a contradictory phrase, for the increasing number of repeat visitors to Japan, unexpected fresh experiences are the very essence of travel. I felt it is necessary to appropriately capture these moments and reflect them in experience design that is not purely "product-out" oriented.

Sugiyama (Responsible for Taiwan)
There were many quite interesting points. Hearing that someone who visits Japan frequently buys products on Amazon and picks them up at convenience stores surprised me—I hadn't realized some travelers were that seasoned. I also sensed that even first-time visitors to Japan are more familiar with Japanese apps than before. It feels like they now view trips to Japan as an extension of domestic travel. Consequently, I think content offering deeper insights—like "strategies" to avoid long lines—would resonate more than generic information.

Additionally, it was insightful to learn that popular souvenirs are no longer large items like electronics, but rather regionally unique and easy-to-carry items. I also felt there's still a lack of ways to deliver information to them during their trip. There seems to be room for development regarding contact points like hotels and convenience stores. As an aside, while few remembered Japanese advertisements, one person showed me a photo of the in-train advertisement for Ninnaji Temple, reminding me of the importance of non-verbal expression.

Masuda (Responsible for Mainland China)
Regarding shopping, comments included: "For high-priced items, we plan ahead, but for everything else, including souvenirs, we decide on the spot after seeing them," and "We get drawn to items recommended by staff or POP displays." For dining, some mentioned: "If we see a ramen shop with a line, we feel compelled to join it."

While shopping and dining seem different scenarios, both involve impulsive choices. What stood out was their behavior during the trip: they searched for reviews on their smartphones on the spot, not to make the choice based on reviews, but to confirm whether their own impulsive choice was correct. This represents a shift from previous behavior.

Another major discovery was the flexibility of visitors from mainland China: they not only use domestic Chinese apps while traveling but also download and use apps like Google Maps and Tabelog. Recognizing that such traveler behaviors and insights are constantly evolving, I felt it's crucial to design comprehensive communication strategies covering the entire journey—from pre-trip to post-trip—incorporating accumulated user reviews.

Summary

This research revealed that the concepts of "pre-trip," "during-trip," and "post-trip" are now outdated. We must instead view their home country and Japan as "one market" and develop marketing strategies accordingly. Furthermore, technological advancements will likely make this even more seamless in the future. Language barriers will continue to diminish, and content created by Japanese people for Japanese audiences may increasingly be seen by foreigners.

This result underscores how inbound marketing for Japan is constantly evolving, prompting us to regularly refine our approach moving forward.

The Global Business Center can conduct simple qualitative surveys targeting inbound visitors to Japan at a low cost. We can customize the format (group, individual, focus group), so please feel free to consult with us.