On September 24, the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA, Chairman Hiroyuki Takahashi) published the results of a survey of domestic businesses accepting inbound tourists regarding their attitudes toward accepting inbound tourists. The results will be used to identify issues and to expand acceptance in the future.

This is the third survey. It was conducted in July targeting travel agencies, accommodation, transportation, and local governments, and received a record 1,164 responses. From the results, we have compiled information on popular tourism content, issues related to inbound tourism, and interest in the Osaka-Kansai Expo. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, 61% of businesses received less than 100,000 in total, due to the large number of local businesses. 27% did not handle any inbound tourism. Of businesses that do not handle inbound tourism, 44% said they plan to accept inbound tourism in the future, down 7 points from the previous survey. As for the reason for not having plans, about 60% cited a lack of manpower and human resources, as in the previous survey. As for the recovery of tourists, 41% of inbound tourism responded that it has returned to the level before the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the past two surveys, a steady recovery can be seen. The overall figure, including domestic travel, was also 41%, but the recovery is somewhat slower than that of inbound tourism.

The peak season for inbound tourists is cherry blossom season in spring, autumn leaves season in autumn, fireworks festivals in summer, Christmas in winter, and other events unique to each region. Inbound travel styles are dominated by individual and group leisure, accounting for over 60%. Group leisure has grown more than individual leisure. Group business and MICE have also increased, and it seems that the acceptance of groups is expanding. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, sustainable tourism topped the list of new or focused tourism content at 28%, followed closely by high value-added travel. This was followed by gastronomy, adventure tourism, and sake tourism, with the same trend as last time. There is also an increase in interest in content unique to Japan, such as traditional Japanese industries and culture. Taiwan is attracting attention as a key inbound market, at 49%, more than 20 points higher than other markets. It is followed by China, Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, and Hong Kong. The advances of North America and Europe are also noticeable, and it seems that they are growing into a market on par with Asia. Although the future outlook for each market will see a decline in importance compared to the current situation, the degree of decline is small in Southeast Asia, and expectations are high. The trend of the majority of booking channels being via domestic and international travel agencies continues and is on the rise. OTAs and travelers themselves are also increasing. Regarding the challenges of accepting inbound tourists, 55% answered that it was a labor shortage or a shortage of human resources. Although there has been improvement, it is still recognized as the biggest challenge. The main factors are improvements in treatment and a small number of job seekers. Overtourism and the proportion of people providing meals are also increasing. Issues such as bus fares falling below the minimum wage, inconvenient transportation networks, measures against natural disasters, and diversity of travel products are also cited. The top condition for expanding acceptance in the future is also the elimination of labor and human resource shortages. With continued support from the national and governmental governments, and administrative efforts such as the expansion of wide-area cooperation between local governments, there are many opinions calling for securing human resources and the development of tourism policies and systems. The elimination of overtourism has also increased sharply. There were also voices calling for the improvement of transportation services such as buses and taxis, the development of infrastructure in tourist destinations, and the training and education of workers. In response to rising costs, 66% of companies have reflected this in their prices compared to 2019, and this has increased with each passing year. The number of companies that are not currently reflecting this in their prices but are considering it has dropped by 20 points in one year. As for the Osaka-Kansai Expo, 30% of companies are considering using this opportunity to attract more inbound tourists, a figure that still needs to be made known. Interest is also gradually declining, and the current situation is that the effects of the Expo are not being felt very much.