China Herald: Japan tourism catching up among Chinese

Shaun Rein

The Fukushima disaster and a flare of nationalism made a dent in Japan´s position as favorite tourist destination for Chinese. But, helped by a slumping currency, Japan is back on the agenda for Chinese tourists, tells business analyst Shaun Rein in Japan Times.

Japan Times:

Visits by Chinese slowed after the 2011 nuclear disaster and a 2012 revival of tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. After exploring South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Bali, Indonesia, many affluent Chinese travelers are making up for lost time, said Shaun Rein, Shanghai-based managing director of market intelligence firm CMR.

“There’s massive pent-up demand,” Rein said.

To lure more big spenders, Japan has slashed sales taxes on a wider range of items favored by foreign tourists and is setting up duty-free counters at hundreds of shops in Tokyo and elsewhere, even in drug stores — medicines and supplements are big sellers among Chinese and Russian tourists.

The Laox duty-free shop in Ginza was crammed with Chinese buying watches, cosmetics, robotic vacuum cleaners and space-age rice cookers.

Ultra high-tech, detachable toilet seats with automatic lighting and lid opening and closing, that warm, wash and dry are another big must-haves among Chinese, even though the products are made-in-China for export to Japan.

“The new status symbol in China is buying things and having experiences,” said Rein. “It’s not just buying a Louis Vuitton bag but how you bought it and how you did something cool.”

More in Japan Times.

Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers´ request form.

Are you looking for more experts to deal with your China risk? Do check out his list.