According to a research analysis released by Mastercard on the 20th, it was found that Taiwan ranked second among tourists who choose to travel to Japan during the winter season. The average number of days Taiwanese skiers travel to Japan is 5.6 days, with an average spending of NT$36,000 per trip during the snow season, with shopping expenses accounting for nearly half of the total expenses, and the most popular destination being Niigata Prefecture.
Based on statistics from the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the number of Taiwanese travelers to Japan from January to October this year exceeded 5.04 million, accounting for 36% of all outbound travelers. Taiwanese people’s enthusiasm for traveling to Japan is not new, and as winter approaches, Taiwanese travelers continue to flock to Japan for skiing and shopping.
According to the research analysis conducted by Mastercard’s Economic Research Institute using third-party transaction data, it was found that Taiwanese, Hong Kong, Thai, and Australian tourists were among the top winter travelers to Japan to experience the cold winter and winter sports, ranking from second to fifth in terms of winter visits to Japan, with South Korea, conveniently located near Japan, ranking first.
Mastercard Taiwan’s General Manager, Chen Yiwen, stated, “In addition to participating in skiing activities, shopping is also an important part of Taiwanese skiers’ trips to Japan. According to analysis by Mastercard’s data consulting team, Taiwanese skiers spend an average of 5.6 days on their trips to Japan, allocating about one-third, or an average of 1.6 days, to skiing activities.”
Chen Yiwen further explained that the average spending per trip during the snow season in local areas is about NT$36,000, with shopping expenses being the largest category at 49%, followed by accommodation at 25% and dining at 13%, and ski-related expenses accounting for about 5%. This indicates that for Taiwanese skiers traveling to Japan, shopping is just as important as experiencing skiing activities.
The analysis indicated that due to significantly increased costs at Hokkaido resorts and ski resorts, skiers from the Asia-Pacific region began choosing to ski in Nagano Prefecture, where prices are more budget-friendly. However, Taiwanese skiers prefer Niigata Prefecture, which offers better value for money and easier accessibility compared to Nagano Prefecture.
According to Mastercard’s analysis, Niigata Prefecture (32%) and Nagano Prefecture (25%) are the top choice and third most popular destination for Taiwanese skiers, respectively, indicating that factors such as ski costs and convenient transportation are the primary reasons influencing Taiwanese skiers’ choice of ski resorts. In addition, Hokkaido, known for its famous powder snow and abundant hot spring resort facilities, has become the second most popular destination for Taiwanese skiers (26%).
Furthermore, the survey also pointed out that Taiwanese skiers traveling to Japan focus on the experience, with a lower percentage of professional skiers. 64% of skiers will allocate one day for skiing activities during their trip to Japan. In terms of ski accommodation arrangements, Taiwanese travelers prefer ski-in and ski-out accommodations at ski resorts, with 62% of Taiwanese skiers choosing to stay within 1 kilometer of the ski resort, near the ski area and cable car station, allowing for direct access to the slopes for skiing activities.