Chinese Travel Warning Slashes Japan Hotel Bookings

The impact of the Chinese government’s call to avoid travel to Japan is now being felt nationwide, with hotel bookings from Chinese travelers falling sharply. Data from private accommodation management systems show that reservations from China have dropped by around half in recent weeks. While room rates have so far remained stable, industry officials warn that with the Lunar New Year holiday in February approaching, prolonged weakness could significantly hurt regional economies and Japan’s tourism sector.

According to tripla, which provides reservation management systems for accommodation providers, hotel bookings from China during the week following the travel advisory, from November 21 to 27, declined by approximately 57% compared with the November 6 to 12 period. In terms of overall booking volume, this resulted in an estimated 9% decline. Increased demand from domestic travelers and visitors from countries other than China helped partially offset the sharp drop in Chinese bookings.

In a hotel occupancy survey released on November 28, the Kyoto City Tourism Association reported that some accommodation facilities in Kyoto had already experienced cancellations. If the number of Chinese guests is reduced by half, the city’s hotel occupancy rate for November is projected to fall by 3 percentage points year on year to 84.4%.

The impact appears even more severe in Osaka. Speaking at a press conference on November 27, Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau president Hiroshi Mizohata said a survey of about 20 hotels across the prefecture showed that 50% to 70% of reservations from Chinese guests through the end of December had been canceled.

Air connectivity is also being reduced. Kansai Airport, which operates Kansai International, Osaka International (Itami), and Kobe airports, said the number of winter flights linking China and the Kansai region will fall from 525 to 348 in the second week of December. From next year, flight volumes are expected to remain about 28% lower on average, adding further pressure to inbound tourism recovery.

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