JAPAN. The travel retail industry could face repercussions from a proposed government ban on “˜souvenir shopping’ being included in package tour itineraries.
Respected Japanese travel business publication Travel Journal International (TJI) reports that a revised Travel Agency Law, expected to be approved during the current Diet (parliament) session, prohibits forced shopping visits to pre-selected destinations.
But established and bona fide duty free retailers offering a quality range are not the key target, TJI editor Adrian (Edo) Mangiboyat told The Moodie Report. “I don’t think it will have much impact on duty free shopping since the rules are more directed toward tours to southeast Asia that offer a quick trip to some souvenir or trinket shop down the road,” he said. “The duty free shops attract those who know what they want to buy and have plans to shop already in their minds rather than the random shoppers looking for cheap items.”
He added: “I see little or no impact on group tours to Europe since the ban is mainly aimed at tours to southeast Asia where tours take a sudden stop at a trinkets or souvenir shop. This has been going on for many years but as Japanese travelers have grown more experienced in travel, they no longer are interested in these things and have other plans for their shopping needs.
“Because these tours are filled with many activities and sights to see, the unexpected stop at an uninteresting souvenir shop just undermines the value of the package tours. That is why the ban has been introduced, even though recently tours have eliminated such pit stops to the souvenir shops. The ban covers unannounced shopping on itineraries that show no shopping activities. However, if shopping is part of the itinerary, for example to markets in Istanbul as part of a cultural aspect of the tour, that is exempt from the ban as it is an itinerary item.
“Duty free shops are unlikely to be affected by the ban since they tend to attract shoppers who want more than just trinkets or small souvenirs. Most Japanese these days already have in mind – based on information in their guidebooks or the internet – where they want to shop at their destination. This is especially true for the women’s market.”
The bill may be enforced as early as next year. “Travel agencies that fail to specify visits to souvenir stores in tour brochures or produced tours visiting an unreasonable number of souvenir stores could be subject to administrative penalties,” said TJI. “The anticipated influence may be significant, as bringing tour participants to souvenir shops plays a key role in the travel business to lower tour prices.”
Under Article 13 of the revised law, travel agencies are prohibited from receiving money exceeding listed prices from customers. They are also banned from failing to inform customers of important facts associated with travel contracts.
Japan Association of Travel Agents travel promotion division director Hiroshi Tabata said: “Tours visiting four to five souvenir stores that participants are unwilling [to attend] may”¦ ruin the credibility of tours.”
TJI commented: “Travel agencies have long been producing packaged and group tours including visits to souvenir stores at destinations and getting commissions from them to lower tour prices. It has been a social problem for some time since the 1990s when tours, particularly to some Asian destinations, semi-compulsorily took tour participants to visit many souvenir shops – leading many to be disappointed in the tours.
“Under the new bill now before the Diet, tour itineraries are expected to be closely scrutinized to ensure transparency while at the same time providing activities and satisfaction for tour participants,” TJI said.
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Source: Travel Journal International Online
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