1. Background and Purpose of the Survey

With Japan experiencing record numbers of inbound tourists, all sectors of the tourism market are showing growth. This also includes cruise passengers, a previously overlooked sector that is gaining in strength. For those companies targeting cruise passengers, understanding their behavior patterns and satisfaction levels is crucial.

With this situation in mind, Koeeru has conducted a cruise-related survey for people from China, Taiwan, and South Korea. For tourism agencies or associations looking to expand their operations, or for those considering a cruise trip to Japan, take a look!

2. Survey Overview

• Target Countries: China, Taiwan, South Korea
• Sample Size:
  • China: 658 participants
  • Taiwan: 506 participants
  • South Korea: 501 participants
• Respondents: General consumers
• Survey Period: June 2024
• Method: Internet Survey (Market Research survey by Koeeru)

3. How Do People Come to Japan?

First, we wanted to know how people came to Japan—specifically, what percentage of people have visited Japan via a cruise ship. To do so, we asked respondents what mode of transportation they used to travel to the country, and discovered the following:

Over 10.2 Percent of Respondents have Visited by Cruise Ship

Most people imagine that, as an island nation, almost everyone comes to Japan by airplane. While this was certainly the majority, surprisingly 10.2% of respondents have used cruises to visit Japan. Breaking down the numbers by country, approximately 7% of Taiwanese and South Korean respondents have traveled by cruise, while the rate is highest among Chinese respondents at 15.2%.

4. Gender and Age of Cruise Tourists

4.1 Breakdown by Gender

Overall, the gender ratio is approximately 1:1. However, among Chinese cruise tourists, the proportion of female tourists is twice that of male tourists. In contrast, the gender proportions for Taiwan and South Korea show the opposite trend.

4.2 Breakdown by Age

Among cruise tourists from the three countries, those in their 30s and 40s are the most common. In particular, 59.0% of Chinese cruise tourists are in their 30s.

4.3 Age Group Analysis

Additionally, we divided the ages into three groups: young (30 years and below), middle-aged (31-60 years), and elderly (61 years and above). About 80% of cruise tourists belong to the middle-aged group, while the elderly group is very small, comprising only 2.9%.

5. Income of Cruise Tourists

We also inquired about the annual income of cruise tourists. Below are the results for each country.

• Chinese Cruise Tourists: Over 60% of Chinese cruise tourists have an annual income exceeding 15 million yen ($94,500), while only 8% have an income below 5 million yen ($31,500).

• Taiwanese Cruise Tourists: The annual income of Taiwanese cruise tourists is evenly distributed across all income ranges below 10 million yen ($63,000).

• Korean Cruise Tourists: About half of Korean cruise tourists have an annual income in the range of 7.01 million yen to 15 million yen ($44,560 to $94,500).

6. Cruise Tourists’ Destination Trends

6.1 Destination Trends of Cruise Tourists from Each Country

• Chinese Cruise Tourists: The destinations are very diverse, with tourists visiting a wide range of locations from Okinawa to Hokkaido, and almost every destination has a high visitation rate.

• Taiwanese Cruise Tourists: The proportion of Taiwanese tourists visiting Okinawa is overwhelming (82.9%) high, especially when compared to other destinations.

• Korean Cruise Tourists: Korean tourists primarily tend to visit Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa by cruise.

6.2 Destination Trends of Cruise Tourists by Income Level

When analyzing the results, we wondered whether income level affects where people visit. To do so, we divided respondents into three income categories: Lower-Middle Income (5 Mil JPY or less), Middle-Upper Income (5-10 Mil JPY), High Income (10 Mil JPY +), as seen below:

Based on the survey results, the trends of cruise tourists’ destinations across the three income levels (lower-middle, middle-upper, high) are summarized as follows:

• Okinawa: The most popular destination across all income levels, with particularly overwhelming popularity among the high income group.
• Tokyo, Hokkaido, Fukuoka, Osaka: Consistently ranked high across all income levels, these destinations are particularly attractive to cruise tourists.
• High Income Group: Shows the highest diversity in destinations, tending to visit a wider range of locations. The visitation rates are consistently higher compared with other groups.
• Lower-Middle and Middle-Upper Groups: Show similar destination trends, with urban areas and famous tourist spots being particularly popular.

Summary

From our survey findings, we can see some clear patterns in how cruise tourists behave and where they like to go in Japan. Here’s a summary of the key points:

• Age Group Trends: Most cruise tourists are in their 30s and 40s, with a relatively low proportion of elderly tourists.
• Okinawa: The most popular destination across all income levels, with particularly overwhelming popularity among the high income group. An overwhelming percentage (82.9%) of tourists from Taiwan also visit Okinawa.
• Tokyo, Hokkaido, Fukuoka, Osaka: Consistently ranked high across all income levels, these destinations are particularly attractive to cruise tourists.
• High Income Group: Shows the highest diversity in destinations, tending to visit a wider range of locations. The visitation rates are consistently higher compared with other groups.
• Lower-Middle and Middle-Upper Groups: Show similar destination trends, with urban areas and famous tourist spots being particularly popular.
• Wide Distribution of Destinations: Chinese cruise tourists visit a wide range of locations from the south to the north of Japan.

Understanding passenger behavior patterns and destination trends, we will turn our attention to what aspects of their experience tourists from different countries and income levels find most satisfying. In the next article, we will explore in detail the cruise satisfaction levels, including things such as  service, costs, environment, and facilities, providing further insights.

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Koeeru provides a comprehensive solution for collecting, processing, and analyzing multilingual market research surveys online. With a global panel network of over 100 million respondents in 150 countries, we can reach a wide variety of potential customers.

If you have any inquiries about this survey, or if you’re interested in conducting your own global market research or customer satisfaction survey, don’t hesitate to contact us.