Comparative analysis of inbound tourist flows of different groups: the case of Japan

Abstract

ABSTRACT Analyzing the tourism mobility characteristics and preferences of different tourist groups helps develop corresponding tourism strategies and targeted tourism planning. This study applied Social Network Analysis and GIS mapping to comprehensively deconstruct the structural characteristics of inbound tourist flow networks of different tourist groups in Japan. The results show that there are significant differences in the structural characteristics and nodal role functions of tourist flow networks from different regions, with Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Aichi being stable core nodes. The distance decay patterns of tourist flows from each region vary, with a significant influence from length of stay. There are four distribution patterns for tourist flow networks under the influence of spatial–temporal distance: short-stay with double-core pattern, short and medium stay with multi-core pattern, medium-stay with triangle core pattern, and long-stay with a regional pattern. Lastly, the mobility preferences of different inbound tourist groups are summarized.