Majority of Hong Kong Tourists to Japan Are Repeat Visitors

A graph comparing visitors to Japan in 2023 from four East Asian countries or regions shows that only 8.5% of tourists from Hong Kong were visiting Japan for the first time. In fact, it was between the fourth and ninth trip for 36.7% and the tenth trip or more for 36.2%, so that more than 70% had already previously visited Japan at least three times.

A study conducted by Aun Consulting on internet searches in Hong Kong regarding Japanese prefectures (in English and Chinese), during the period from October 2023 to September 2024, shows that the most commonly searched prefecture was Fukuoka, with a total of 807,000 individual searches, followed by Tokyo with 727,500. The next most frequently searched prefectures were Osaka, Okinawa, and Hokkaidō.

Fukuoka Prefecture in western Japan is a popular destination for casual weekend trips due to its proximity to various Asian cities. The coordinated efforts made in Fukuoka between industry, government, and academia to attract domestic and international companies, as well as its extensive support for start-ups, have also contributed to the increased interest in the prefecture as a site for corporate investment and expansion.

Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, which ranked second, third, and sixth, respectively, are world-famous tourist destinations. Fourth-ranked Okinawa has also remained popular thanks to its convenient location as well as its effort to attract visitors for resort weddings. Among the 552 foreign couples who tied the knot in Okinawa in 2023, 55% were from Hong Kong. Fifth-place Hokkaidō is noteworthy for often being the object of internet searches in the period from October to January, apparently reflecting the increased interest in winter activities such skiing or snowboarding and in the prefecture’s culinary delights.

A breakdown of where tourists from Hong Kong actually visited in 2023 shows that Tokyo was the top destination, visited by 37.6% of the total number of visitors, followed by Osaka, Chiba, Kyoto, and Fukuoka. Although Chiba did not rank in the top 10 for internet searches, popular individual locations in the prefecture were the object of searches since it is the site of Narita International Airport as well as Tokyo Disney Resort.

Although air routes to regional cities are expanding recently, many prefectures were visited by less than 1% of tourists from the four East Asian countries and regions targeted in the study. Aun Consulting points out that “since there are many repeat visitors from Hong Kong it is important to promote travel plans with high added value centered on Japan’s unique offerings, such as experience-focused trips that allow tourists to savor the charms and timeless culture that regional areas have to offer.”

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)