Chinese tourists continue to flock to Japan

For the third consecutive year in a row, Japan tops the rankings of countries most Chinese tourists want to visit, according to an online survey carried out by website Travelzoo Japan. Four in ten (39%) of respondents named it as their preferred destination for 2016, followed by the US (33%) and Australia (28%). Among the other key findings: Japan is the country where Chinese feel most welcome; Chinese tourists to Japan are increasingly becoming more interested in high-quality cultural experiences than just shopping; the average international spend for Chinese travellers this year is expected to increase 5.5% to ¥39,060 ($5,940) and 80% of the respondents reportedly like sharing pictures and videos of their travels through WeChat.

TOKYO -- Chinese who vacation in Japan want to stay at rural ryokan inns more than city hotels. They also have their hearts set on eating sushi, traditional kaiseki multi-course meals and wagyu beef, a survey by the website Travelzoo Japan reveals.

And -- no surprise here -- most Chinese tourists like to share photos of their Japan indulgences on WeChat.