KEY POINTSDeloitte survey shows inbound visitors book shopping assistance and experiences during trips almost as often as before departureHotel and department store concierges gain share alongside global and domestic booking sites for in-trip reservationsSpecial purchases prioritize Japanese-style experiences at 21%, ahead of cost performance at 17% and premium offerings at 15%
A Deloitte survey of 4,800 higher-spending visitors found in-trip bookings for shopping assistance and experiences nearly matched pre-departure reservations. Photo by Raymond Yeung on Unsplash
Raymond Yeung
Deloitte Tohmatsu Group released results of its inbound consumer sentiment and purchasing behavior survey on August 7, finding that foreign visitors to Japan increasingly make reservations for shopping-related services and experiences during their trips rather than completing bookings entirely before departure.
The survey indicates that bookings for shopping tours and attendant services were made before travel by 42.3% of respondents and during travel by 39.1%, while experience bookings were made before travel by 44.4% and during travel by 38.5%. By contrast, bookings for transport within Japan remained more concentrated before travel, at 65.3%, versus 33.7% during trips. For transport bookings within Japan, official booking websites run by transport operators were the most-used channel both before and during travel, at 45% and 42%, respectively, while 30% of respondents used local service counters during their trips.
For shopping tour and attendant bookings made during trips, 39% of respondents used globally operated booking websites, while 32% used hotel concierges and another 32% used department store concierges. Deloitte Tohmatsu said the findings show broader use of local touchpoints during travel alongside online channels.
The survey also found differences by category in booking channels. For experience bookings, Japanese booking sites were used more than globally operated platforms both before and during travel, at 39% versus 35% before travel and 43% versus 28% during travel. For sightseeing tours and attendant reservations made during trips, Japanese booking sites were used by 43% of respondents, exceeding global booking sites at 39%.
On purchasing behavior, respondents most often used convenience stores for daily necessities during their stays, at 57%, followed by supermarkets at 48%, department stores at 44% and drugstores at 36%. For souvenirs and special purchases, the most-used destinations were commercial facilities at 49%, souvenir shops in tourist areas at 47%, variety stores at 41%, airport duty-free shops at 37%, shopping streets at 36%, fashion specialty stores at 34% and department stores at 33%.
In special shopping purchases where higher spending is expected, the most important factor cited was the ability to have a distinctly Japanese experience, at 21%. That was followed by good cost performance at 17% and premium or limited services and products at 15%. Deloitte Tohmatsu said the results suggest inbound travelers to Japan are willing to spend on experiences they judge worthwhile rather than focusing only on premium positioning.
The company said respondents also placed weight on experiences tied to Japanese culture and nature, traditional atmosphere, unique offerings different from standard tourism, and a sense of reassurance.
The internet survey was conducted in April 2026 among 4,800 men and women aged 20 to 79 living in South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, Thailand, Singapore and Australia. All respondents had visited Japan within the past three years and had spent at least 100,000 yen per person in Japan, excluding transport and accommodation costs. Japan’s inbound tourism market has rebounded in recent years, with retailers, hotels and travel service providers seeking to capture more spending from visitors after arrival.
AloJapan.com