Transition and Influential Elements of Travel Destinations of Japanese Package Tours in China

Abstract

This research assumes to clarify the distribution of visiting destinations from 1980 to 2004 by package tours in newspaper advertisement. We analyze the advertisement inserted in Asahi Shimbun (Tokyo version). Because the China visit package tour was published for the first time in 1980, we collected the advertisements in 1980, 1984, 1994 and 2004. According to the statistic data by JTB (Japan Tourism Bureau) and JNTO (Japan National Tourist Organization), March, August and November are always peak periods of China travel to Japanese tourists. Therefore, we select the advertisements published in January, June and October, which are two months before peak periods as our research objects. First of all, Hong Kong played the role of gateway or relay city in the age when the infrastructure in China was insufficiently equipped. Hong Kong didn't appear in the advertisement of China travel in 2004, and it can be thought as a result of the improvement of infrastructure in China. Secondly, tourism policy of Chinese government also accomplished important role in destinations change. Thirdly, the registration of World Heritage influenced destination selection of China travel. There were only 6 World Heritages in China in 1987, but the number of World Heritages increased to 30 in 2004 with a rapid and aimed speed. Fourthly, effect can be recognized in the tourism promotion activities of Chinese government. Fifityly, mass communication media in sending country Japan is also an important factor which can't be disregarded.