Tourists in Japan spend more on shopping than food and entertainment combined
Photo Credit: Colorful fruit-flavored Japanese candy. Flickr / Sam Steele
Skift Take
It’s difficult to gain much insight from the averages since visitor spending varies widely above and below the given number; however, the most notable finding is the near $100 spent on candy per tourist.
Foreign visitors spend an average of $493 (46,436 yen) for shopping during their visits to Japan, much higher than for food $317 (29,864 yen) and amusement activities $129 (12,136 yen).
But what do they buy when on their shopping sprees? According to the Japan Tourism Agency, which conducted a survey of foreign visitors, more than half of them (58.2%) spent an average of $90 (8,506 yen) on confectioneries that are sold at souvenir shops, department stores, and shopping centers. Japan, known for its omiyage (gifts to friends, family, and acquaintances) culture, offers an overwhelming number of shopping opportunities wherever you go. Among the overseas visitors with the highest ratios for purchasing confectionaries were: Thailand (88.1%, average am
