2 1 Shi Ji Jing Ji Bao Dao·2025-11-19 12:52Core Insights - The Japanese tourism market is experiencing a rapid decline due to travel warnings issued by Chinese authorities, leading to a significant number of cancellations and a shift in tourist preferences towards other destinations [1][2][4] Group 1: Ticket Cancellations and Market Impact - As of November 19, approximately 900,000 tickets for trips to Japan remain booked but unused, down from 1.55 million on November 15, indicating a cancellation of 543,000 tickets in just four days [1][2] - Major Chinese airlines, including Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern, have implemented free cancellation policies for flights to Japan, contributing to a 32% drop in planned travelers from 1.55 million to 1.06 million between November 15 and November 17 [2][4] - The cancellation rate reached 13.4% on November 18, the highest in five days, reflecting travelers' safety concerns dominating market trends [4] Group 2: Shift to Alternative Destinations - Other destinations are actively competing for the Chinese tourists who initially planned to visit Japan, with Southeast Asia seeing a 20% increase in inquiries for travel products [1][8] - Thailand has launched the "Thailand Safe Travel" initiative to alleviate safety concerns among Chinese tourists and is offering exclusive New Year discounts [8][11] - Russia is also attracting attention, with President Putin announcing a visa-free policy for Chinese tourists, leading to a surge in flight searches to Moscow [9][11] Group 3: Travel Agency Responses - Travel agencies have canceled all group tours to Japan for November and December, with 80% of travelers opting to cancel their trips following the travel warnings [7][8] - Despite the airlines' flexible cancellation policies, travel agencies face losses from non-recoverable costs related to ground services and hotel bookings [7][8] - Some agencies report that the impact is manageable due to the current off-peak travel season, but there are concerns about the potential effects on the upcoming New Year and Spring Festival travel [7][8]