Japan Tourism Agency has released the Lodging Travel Survey for the 2nd quarter (April to June) of 2013. According to the research, total number of lodgers were 10,246.430 thousand lodgers/nights, 3.0% increase compared with the same period last year. Number of foreigners increased greatly to 8,768.840 thousand, an increase of 26.4% compared with the same period last year and it also accounted for 8.3% of all lodgers. Monthly number of foreign lodgers were: 3,175.680 thousand lodgers/nights for April, 27,566.990 lodgers/nights for May and 2,836.180 thousand lodgers/nights for June.
▼Total number of the lodgers stays firm, sightseeing demand in Tohoku has not recovered yet
Total number of lodgers exceeded that of last year in 28 prefectures, notably in 6 Tohoku prefectures it marked 0.4% above the figure from the same period in 2010, recovering to the level before the earthquake. Nevertheless, while the business lodgers took 27.1% increase but sightseeing lodgers decreased 25.2%, revealing that sightseeing demand has not yet recovered.
▼The most number of foreign lodgers stay in Tokyo, and come from Taiwan
Total number of foreign lodgers exceeded that of last year in 36 prefectures, however in only 32 prefectures has it recovered to the level of the same period in 2010. Total number of foreign lodgers counted the most in Tokyo with 2,658.910 thousand lodgers/nights, followed by Osaka with 1,203.930 thousand lodgers/nights, Kyoto with 844.140 thousand lodgers/nights, Hokkaido with 503.990 thousand lodgers/nights and Okinawa with 377.730 thousand lodgers/nights.
Numbers by nationalities were: Taiwan topped with 1,680 thousand lodgers/nights, followed by Korea with 950 thousand lodgers/nights and China with 920 thousand lodgers/nights, dominating more than 40% of the total by these 3 countries/areas. Top 10 nationalities as follows: the U.S. (830 thousand lodgers/nights), Hong Kong (660 thousand lodgers/nights), Thailand (420 thousand lodgers/nights), Singapore (240 thousand lodgers/nights), Australia (220 thousand lodgers/nights), France (170 thousand lodgers/nights) and the U.K. (160 thousand lodgers/nights.) In terms of the degree of increase, Taiwan increased 71.6% and Thailand increased 66.2% both compared to the same period last year, on the contrary China decreased 26.1%.
▼Strong occupancy rates in hotels in the city and budget hotels
In addition, the survey indicated hotel occupancy rates by prefectures. Nationwide average of hotel occupancy rate during this period was 51.9%. By types of accommodation, Japanese inns (ryokan) 30.7%, resort hotels 43.6%, budget hotels 67.0%, hotels in the city 74.5% and accommodation facilities for companies/organizations 30.5%. Among each type of accommodations the highest occupancy rates were achieved in the following prefectures: Japanese inns (ryokan) - Kyoto 45.7%, resort hotels- Chiba 76.9%, budget hotels- Tokyo 82.2%, hotels in the city- Kyoto 87.0% and accommodation facilities for companies/organizations- Iwate 30.5%.
