New Study: Differences in Chinese, Japanese, and Australians Travel

Travellers in the Asia Pacific region represent a dynamic sector of the travel industry—especially considering all the diversity the region has to offer. Our latest research captures some of these opportunities and sheds light into travel trends within three countries in this complex region: China, Australia, and Japan. Whether you’re an expert or looking to learn more, our study, Travel Habits, Behaviors, and Influencers of Chinese, Japanese, and Australian Travellers, is sure to help you better understand this complex audience.

How They Are Travelling

Travellers from these countries show a range of preferences, and styles when it comes to how they like to travel. Interestingly, of all the three countries, Chinese travellers are travelling the most. At a rate of 5.3 trips per year, Chinese travellers are eclipsing those in Japan (4.4) and Australia (3.3). Not to be outdone, Australians are taking the longest trips by duration (10.8 days) and they prefer to travel internationally the most—45% of Australians versus Chinese (27%) and Japanese (14%). And while the Japanese may be taking fewer trips per year, they budget more for hotel stays than travellers from the other two countries.

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Speaking of budget, travellers from all three countries are squarely focused on it. They all claim that budget is a top reason in their decision-making process. But, after budget, the three countries start to splinter in terms of their preferences. For example, both Chinese and Australians enjoy relaxing trips. The Japanese, on the other hand, want to see the sights. They rank sightseeing as the most important reason for travel after budget.

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What influences them to travel

Given that budget is a primary concern for travellers in each country, it’s not surprising that content with appealing deals is popular for all three countries. However, the way advertisers portray that content has important ramifications for attracting customers in these diverse countries. For example, “imagery that looks appealing” is a motivating force for Chinese and Australian travellers. But for the Japanese, they’d rather see advertisements with “deals that look appealing.” These differences may seem subtle, but knowing that 60% of travellers across the three countries say that ads can influence their decisions, paying close attention to these subtle, but significant differences, can mean converting customers or leaving them uninspired.

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These findings paint a picture of travellers from these countries as complex, but also unified by some common themes, like budget and advertisements. Thus, whether you’re interested in the booming Chinese market, the internationally-bound Australian traveller, the hotel-inclined Japanese consumer, or all three, our guide helps give you a deeper perspective on these travellers. Importantly, this research is part of a larger series in our effort to capture global travel trends. So, if you’re curious about other regions of the world, go here to see how travel trends are unfolding in other regions of the world.

Gianluca Armando

Director, Brand and Marketing, Expedia Group Media Solutions

Gianluca Armando is the Director of Brand and Marketing at Expedia Group Media Solutions, where he leads the creative advertising partnerships and implementing global marketing campaigns. Previously, Gianluca led the Expedia Group Media Solutions business development team and was responsible for the creation and implementation of digital media campaigns for marketing partners across Asian and Pacific Coasts. He started his career as an intern at Expedia Group, and over the last 11 years has gained global experience working in a variety of countries including Italy, Spain, the UK, Australia, and Singapore. Gianluca graduated with a master’s degree in tourism economics and management from Ca' Foscari University in Venice, and now lives in London with his family.

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