China's Call to Avoid Japan Hits Tourism — Korea Emerges as Alternative
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
China urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan after Japanese Prime Minister Takaiichi Sanae’s remarks about possible intervention over Taiwan, prompting major Chinese carriers to cancel and refund Japan-bound tickets. Cancelations reached hundreds of thousands of bookings and daily flight cancellation rates spiked above 75–80%, the largest disruption since early COVID-19. China made travel agencies stop selling Japan tours, and many travelers are switching destinations. South Korea has become a top alternative, with Seoul seeing surging search and booking interest on Chinese travel platforms. The loss of Chinese tourists (who made up about 23% of foreign visitors to Japan and spent the most per person) threatens Japan’s tourism-reliant sectors — airlines, hotels, retail and duty-free — and could cut GDP by roughly 0.29–0.36%, with estimated economic losses up to ¥2.2 trillion. Tokyo is exploring diversification of inbound tourism to reduce dependence on China while monitoring trends.
