Japan’s New Overseas Chinese Newspaper reported that due to the ongoing downturn in the Japanese economy, domestic tourist numbers have been declining continuously, and ski resorts across Hokkaido are also facing a "tourist drought." To attract Chinese skiers and promote the appeal of "skiing in Hokkaido," ski resorts throughout the region have begun hiring a large number of Chinese-speaking instructors.
The resort stated that many Chinese tourists who had originally booked English-language lessons requested to switch to Chinese courses after learning that Chinese instruction was available, hoping to master skiing skills more quickly through communication in their native language. Most ski resorts also plan to continue increasing the number of Chinese-speaking instructors this year.
In early February, leaders from 12 ski resorts across Hokkaido gathered at the Furano Ski Resort. At the same time, the resort organizers invited about 40 representatives from travel companies in China and other countries to hold a business discussion meeting, and all participants went skiing together afterward. Analysts believe this event was organized because the ski resorts and hotels recognized the drawbacks of acting independently and understood that only through mutual cooperation can they further enhance Hokkaido’s visibility and achieve better tourism outcomes.
According to Japan’s “Leisure White Paper,” the number of domestic skiers in Japan peaked at 18.6 million in 1993 and has been declining ever since. On the other hand, the number of foreign tourists, represented by Chinese visitors, received by the New Furano Prince Hotel increased from 1,500 in the 2002 winter season (November to March) to 13,000 in the 2010 season.
The operator of one ski resort pointed out that the number of Japanese domestic tourists visiting Hokkaido is continuously decreasing. However, according to a Hokkaido government survey, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Hokkaido has been increasing year by year, with over 400,000 coming from China in the 2010 season.
It is also reported that one ski resort hired more than 20 Chinese-speaking instructors in 2011. Its operator said, "If we improve the ski resort’s ability to cater to Chinese speakers, the number of Chinese tourists will definitely increase." This operator believes that improving services tailored to Chinese tourists is key to attracting customers.