Tokyo Disneyland
Topic: Why do hardly any visitors from aboard ever visit.

#	Author	Message
1	Malin Thu 5/1/2008 7:40a	I've just been reading an interesting article about how the Japanese population is declining and how the OLC is looking into new ways to attract guest, that wouldn't normally visit. It mention that the Resort may look into attracting guest outside of Japan. What I find interesting is that TDL has been going for 25 years now and yet very few guest outside of Japan ever visit. The article speaks to an Asian tour group who became frustrated at the Languege barrier. Its certainly an interesting read and I highly recomend reading it. It also discusses the suscess Universal Studios has had by marketing outside of Japan. http://www.iht.com/articles/20...sney.php While reading the article I couldn't help but notice my own difficulty with visiting this Resort. Obviously the online World can be a useful tool here, but still if I wanted to book a stay here its got to be done by phone, and your even restricted from contacting the Resort through E-mail, and if you would like to buy park tickets in advance, your unable to do so, even through all the other Disney Resorts offer the service. With this in mind its not that suprising other people from outside of Japan also would have this difficulty.
2	trekkeruss Thu 5/1/2008 8:10a	I think that there aren't many foreigners because: 1.) I don't think there have been very many Asians outside of Japan that could afford to visit Tokyo, let alone TDR. Those that could afford it weren't in the typical Disney demographic to begin with. 2.) It's very far from the USA or Europe; airfare is a huge expense. That alone keeps people, especially families, away. 3.) For the most part, Americans don't have the interest in Asia as they do Europe. I would also guess that Europeans are much more likely to visit the USA than Japan. 4.) Americans have DL and WDW. Only hardcore Disney fans and other theme park geeks would travel to Japan and visit TDR. While there is a language barrier, what TDR and Disney offer as a product doesn't need much explaining, so don't think that is much of a factor. If OLC did advertise the resort to broader markets and made it easier to book tickets and rooms, they would get some response, but I think it would mainly be of interest to those travelers already planning a trip to Japan.
3	davewasbaloo Thu 5/1/2008 8:14a	Agreed Russ, but I remember earlier this year BA were advertising mini breaks in HK with HKDL being one of the major selling points here in the UK!
4	barboy Thu 5/1/2008 8:52a	I think that we might have talked about some of this on the K. Yee book thread. "Why do hardly any visitors from aboard ever visit." I have always thought visitors to Tokyo are more or less all about business travel. Thus, good luck seeing non Japanese kids around. They exist but they are so few. And you won't find too many non Japanese retirees/elderly touring groups in Tokyo either because they are more inclined to hit China or Europe. Tokyo doesn't have iconic "world famous" structures like the Paris Eiffel Tower, London's Big Ben, Rome's Colossium, San Fran's Golden Gate or New Yorks's Statue of Liberty. Tokyo definitely has an identifiable and unique character and well known items but just not on the world scale as say the Christ statue overlooking Rio, Brazil, the Great Wall of China or the Mayan ruins of the Yukatan, Mexico. Tokyo also is not known for beach resorts like in the Caribbean or South Pacific islands---- places that families and honeymooners hit. Another theory I have is the cost of travel. Considering the entire world Tokyo is very, very expensive. Only Europe costs more to travel and I would say Tokyo is equal to or higher than San Fran. and New York. How about the fast pace of Tokyo? I believe many travelers don't like the hustle and bustle when they are on vacation. They want to kick back and relax. The weather: Tokyo can be brutally hot or icy cold and that will scare one or two away as well. But Spring and fall are very nice. Let's try location----- Tokyo is remote at least for USAer's and Europeans---- two groups that travel.
5	trekkeruss Thu 5/1/2008 9:09a	<<I have always thought visitors to Tokyo are more or less all about business travel.>> <<Tokyo doesn't have iconic "world famous" structures like the Paris Eiffel Tower, London's Big Ben, Rome's Colossium, San Fran's Golden Gate or New Yorks's Statue of Liberty.>> <<Tokyo also is not known for beach resorts like in the Caribbean or South Pacific islands>> Great points, barboy. Tokyo is more of a business and traveler's destination, but not much of a family and vacation destination.
6	Malin Thu 5/1/2008 10:03a	<<< 1.) I don't think there have been very many Asians outside of Japan that could afford to visit Tokyo, let alone TDR. Those that could afford it weren't in the typical Disney demographic to begin with. >>> I'm not to sure about this because it does appear to work for Universal Studios in Osaka, which took a very aggressive approuch in advertising this park outside of Japan, and now aparently a good 10% of visitors to this park are not Japanese. I think this proves that strong advertising can work, althrough I'm not sure what sort of restrictions OLC are given to promoting this Resort outside of Japan. But I do think a market to attract foreign guest does exist. I believe in the case of Hong Kong Disneyland that park has a lot of people visiting from places like the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. <<< 2.) It's very far from the USA or Europe; airfare is a huge expense. That alone keeps people, especially families, away. >>> I kind of disagree with the distance argument, but I think in regards to America it probarely is a long distance, if your not on the West Coast. If your in Australia on the other hand or Asia Tokyo Disney Resort is an easier option. Coming from the UK also I don't think there is much in the way of distance if I was to travel to California, Hong Kong or Tokyo. It takes about 12 hrs to reach all three destinations. I do agree with you however on the flight cost.
7	Malin Thu 5/1/2008 10:24a	<<< I have always thought visitors to Tokyo are more or less all about business travel. Thus, good luck seeing non Japanese kids around. They exist but they are so few. And you won't find too many non Japanese retirees/elderly touring groups in Tokyo either because they are more inclined to hit China or Europe. Tokyo doesn't have iconic "world famous" structures like the Paris Eiffel Tower, London's Big Ben, Rome's Colossium, San Fran's Golden Gate or New Yorks's Statue of Liberty. Tokyo definitely has an identifiable and unique character and well known items but just not on the world scale as say the Christ statue overlooking Rio, Brazil, the Great Wall of China or the Mayan ruins of the Yukatan, Mexico. >>> I know lots of people who would love to visit Tokyo, it may not have any famous structures, but it offers a differnt kind of vibe to what you can find in many other city's. It also offers a ton of attractions and a very unique culture. Mt Fuji is also not far from Tokyo, so I think people do have interest in the city, tasting authentic Sushi and checking out the many weird and wonderful places this city has to offer. But again it really falls down to cost. Most of the major UK travel brouchers rarely will include much on Japan, if anything at all. Most of Asia is taken up by places like China and Thailand. This is why Resorts like TDR could be a lot more popular by offering an easy alternative to book. A lot of the Japanese Hotel sites are also fairly useless in be able to find out information or book a room.
8	Malin Thu 5/1/2008 10:29a	<<< Tokyo is more of a business and traveler's destination, but not much of a family and vacation destination. >>> I think most city's in Asia could be considered this. Its why Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai are all spending millions on family theme parks. Tokyo on the other hand already has this on its doorstep but does very little to advertise this fact.
9	davewasbaloo Thu 5/1/2008 10:29a	Agreed Malin. The far East is usually Phuket or Hong Kong to most, sometimes tours of China. Or if you go to Japan, it's about temples, the bullet train and Mt Fuji in the Spring. Before the net, it was almost impossible to find out about TDL.
10	Mr X Thu 5/1/2008 5:10p	***I'm not to sure about this because it does appear to work for Universal Studios in Osaka, which took a very aggressive approuch in advertising this park outside of Japan, and now aparently a good 10% of visitors to this park are not Japanese.*** I'd be curious to know what countries those folks are coming from. I highly doubt it's large groups of Americans or Europeans flying to Asia just to go to Universal (in Osaka, no less, a largely industrial city!). I'm wondering if they marketed a lot to Korea maybe? Or China? I could imagine some cheap package tours considering the flight is not very long at all and Osaka has its' own international airport. ***Agreed Russ, but I remember earlier this year BA were advertising mini breaks in HK with HKDL being one of the major selling points here in the UK!*** Sure, but given the unique past I would think that many Brits would be comfortable traveling to Hong Kong even if they might not care to travel anywhere else in Asia at all (sort of like an American who'd be happy to travel to Hawaii but wouldn't dream of traveling to Fiji..for example)? I'm not sure about that, it's just a guess.

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