Chinese tourist wave splashes into Japan

(CHINA DAILY)

ChinesevisitorstoJapanmorethandoubledtheirhotelstaysin2015,andtheyarespendingmoreonpersonalitemsratherthanongoodssuchaselectricalappliances.

ThenumberofnightsvisitorsfromtheChinesemainlandstayedinhotelsinJapanrosemorethan111percentyear-on-yearto16.46millionin2015,whilethenumberofvisitorsfromTaiwanwhostayedinJapanesehotelsclimbed34.9percentto10.71million,JapanTimessaidonMonday.

Increasedincomes,easiervisapoliciesandmoreflightstriggeredtheboominChinesevisitors,accordingtoareportbyCtrip,aleadingonlinetravelagencyinChina.

Shoppingtasteshavealsochanged.WhereasmanyChineseconsumersoncemainlypurchasedhouseholdgoods,suchastoiletseatsandrefrigerators,moreareoptingtospendtheirmoneyonclothes,cosmetics,pharmaceuticalsandfood,thereportsaid.

ThespendingpowerofChinesetouristshasgivenasignificantboosttodepartmentstoresandotherretailsellersinJapan,whilePrimeMinisterShinzoAbehasbeensteppingupeffortstoincreasethenumberofforeigntouriststo20millionannuallyby2020,thereportsaid.

ThetourismagencysaidthatChinesevisitors-morethan5millionofthem-visitedJapanin2015andaccountforone-fourthofAbe's2020target.Theyspent$12.2billioninthecountry.

LiuXiaoxiang,a27-year-oldcomputersalescompanyownerinHangzhou,Zhejiangprovince,tookhisfianceetoJapaninJanuary.

"IspokeChineseallthetimeasthesalespeopleinJapanoftenspeakfluentMandarin.Thebargainpricesforluxurygoodsandthefoodthereimpressedme,"hesaid.

YuQiang,aresearcherattheUniversityofInternationalRelations,saidChinaandJapanaretryingtoimprovetheirrelationship,andbettertieswillsurelyresultinevenmoreChinesegoingtoJapan.