世論 What Japan Thinks

Although the main holiday season is over, this survey by DIMSDRIVE Research into booking lodgings for domestic travel was actually conducted in May, although DIMSDRIVE only got round to publishing it this month.

Demographics

Between the 14th and 22nd of August 2008 9,862 members of the DIMSDRIVE monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54.7% of the sample were female, 1.0% in their teens, 14.3% in their twenties, 34.5% in their thirties, 30.2% in their forties, 13.9% in their fifties, and 6.1% aged sixty or older.

The only domestic travel I’ve taken this year was a three-day business trip to Tokyo, but this survey is concerned with leisure travel However, wifey booked a night at Kansai Airport before our flight overseas via the internet – if you do stay at the Nikko hotel there it’s well worth joining their members’ club as you get a free room upgrade ticket for your troubles.

Research results

Q1: In the last year, which of the following leisure activities have you carried out? (Sample size=9,862, multiple answer)

Domestic stay (to SQs)	65.3%
Overseas stay	14.3%
Day-return leisure activity, trip	59.3%
Other leisure activity	7.0%
Not done any leisure activity in the last year	17.6%

Q1SQ1: Where did you stay on your domestic travel? (Sample size=6,441, multiple answer)

Hotel, ryokan, pension, etc	81.7%
Friends, relatives house	14.9%
Local government cheap hotel	5.4%
Camp ground	3.7%
Corporate facility	3.0%
Holiday home	2.1%
Other	2.3%
Don’t remember	0.2%

Q1SQ2: What did you reference when you chose where to go, where to stay, etc? (Sample size=4,858, those who personally, or family, friends selected facilities open to the public, multiple answer)

	Destination	Hotel
Hotel home page via computer	43.4%	54.3%
Travel information site via computer	40.0%	40.9%
Other web site via computer	31.4%	31.1%
Travel magazine	23.9%	16.3%
Friends, family, etc	21.8%	15.5%
Guidebook	16.4%	10.1%
Travel agent	12.2%	12.1%
Town informaton magazine	9.6%	6.1%
Television	7.8%	3.2%
Other magazine	4.1%	2.4%
Newspaper	3.7%	2.2%
Transport facility, transportation advertisment, etc	2.9%	1.5%
Work health union, etc	2.0%	2.1%
Other book	1.6%	0.9%
Mobile phone internet	1.5%	1.5%
Radio	0.7%	0.5%
Other	2.8%	1.9%
Nowhere in particular, don’t remember	8.6%	6.5%

Q1SQ3: How did you book your stay? (Sample size=4,776, those who booked a stay)

Travel information site via computer	29.8%
Hotel web site via computer	18.4%
Direct phone, fax to hotel	17.9%
Travel agent	12.0%
Other web site via computer	6.0%
Work health union, etc	1.3%
Mobile phone internet	1.0%
Tourist information office, etc	0.4%
Transport facility (JR Midori no Madoguchi, etc)	0.3%
Other	0.5%
Didn’t book it myself	12.4%

Q1SQ4: Why did you choose that way to book your stay? (Sample size=4,186, those who booked a stay themselves, multiple answer)

Cheap	51.3%
Easy to book	34.1%
Good plan, special offers	33.6%
Can reliably book	20.8%
Can book even late at night	17.9%
Can confirm the booking	15.7%
Am member	12.4%
Easy to search, find	10.1%
Can choose room	9.8%
Get good hotels, rooms recommended	7.1%
Can trust the response	5.9%
Can express desires without making booking	3.4%
Personal information seems properly managed	1.1%
Other	4.3%
No particular reason	3.5%

Q1SQ5: Which travel information site did you use to book your stay? (Sample size=1,421, those who booked a stay on a travel information site, top ten sites only)

Rakuten Travel	37.0%
Jalan net	33.1%
Yahoo! Travel	6.8%
Ikkyu.com	3.2%
JTB	2.3%
YukoYuko Net	2.0%
Tabi Plaza	0.8%
Hankyu Tavel	0.8%
Gurunavi Travel	0.7%
JAL	0.7%

Q1SQ6: Why did you choose that site? (Sample size=1,421, those who booked a stay on a travel information site, multiple answer)

I’ve used it before	58.6%
I’ve a member	46.0%
Cheap prices, good discounts	37.9%
Get points, miles	26.7%
Trustworthy, safe site	25.3%
Easy to search, easy to use	25.0%
Well-known site	24.8%
Good stay plans	21.3%
Has customer opinions, word-of-mouth information	21.3%
Has lots of lodgings	20.9%
Detailed information	14.5%
Easy to understand the facility, room atmosphere (photos, etc)	14.2%
Good lodgings	12.5%
Easy to look at pages	11.5%
Came out at the top of the search engine rankings	4.7%
Properly manages personal information	2.1%
Other	1.5%
Don’t know	2.6%

Q1SQ7: Regarding the information available on travel information sites about lodgings, which data points do you think are important? (Sample size=1,421, those who booked a stay on a travel information site, multiple answer)

Price	91.3%
Transportation access	51.9%
Stay plans	43.0%
Guest reviews	43.0%
Meals	42.2%
Room, other photos	39.7%
Room size	28.9%
Check-in, check-out times	23.9%
Room amenities, fitments	22.7%
Reservation, cancellation, payment method	16.7%
Child facilities	10.1%
Age of building	6.8%
Other	3.7%
Don’t know, nothing in particular	0.8%

Q1SQ8: Regarding lodgings introduced on travel information sites, which of the following are you attracted to? (Sample size=1,421, those who booked a stay on a travel information site, multiple answer)

Good value	56.3%
Dirt cheap	50.1%
Leisurely	35.3%
Limited	32.3%
With benefits	31.8%
Comfortable	30.5%
Close to railway, easy access	26.1%
Relaxing	24.3%
Spacious	23.0%
Fine quality	20.5%
Popular lodging	19.2%
High-class	14.4%
Hidden treasure	13.7%
Greedy	12.8%
Luxurious	11.1%
At home-like	11.0%
Executive	7.7%
Simple stay	7.5%
Traditional	7.2%
Other	2.4%
Don’t know	2.1%

About the only keywords men were more interested in than women were those implying cheapness!