ASEAN-Japan Centre
Report on the CLMV Travel Sentiment Survey

Survey implemented by Valise Inc.
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Table of contentsA) About this survey
1. Survey overview
2. Attributes of the survey respondentsB) Use of social media
1. Gathering information using social media
2. Suggestion for social media improvement- based on group discussionC) CLMV survey results
1. CLMV
2. Cambodia
3. Lao PDR
4. Myanmar
5. Viet Nam

P.2
P.3
P.4

P.5
P.6
P.12

P.14
P.15
P.20
P.27
P.34
P.41

D) Summary by the survey company

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P.48

1

A) About this survey

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2

A-1 Survey overview

Survey conducted by: Valise Inc.

 Quantitative surveyImplementation period: Saturday, January 9–Sunday, January 17, 2021
Implementation method: Web survey using Google Forms
Number of questions: 19
Number of respondents: 112 people*Unit in the graphs are “person” except those indicated as “%“.

 Qualitative survey








Implementation period: Four times during February 2021
Implementation method: Online discussion using Zoom
Implementation details: Each session was about 60 minutes with 5 participants
Number of participants: 19 (1 person participated twice)
Participants: Women in their 20s to 40s from among the quantitative survey
respondents who met the following criteria• Answered “I have been there” regarding a country in the quantitative survey• Have an Instagram account• Uses Instagram to gather information
Facilitator / note-taker: Valise Inc.

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3

A-2 Attributes of the survey respondents▼ Age▼ Location

Over 90% in their 20s to 30s (46% in their 20s, 49%
in their 30s)

Throughout Japan concentrated on the Tok yo m etropolitan
area and other major cities, as well as some foreign locations▼ Number of ov erseas trips in 2019

▼ Occupation▼ M arital status

Over 80% were company employees
or freelance work ers

About half were unmarried, and 30%
were married without children

About 30% m ade 1–2 trips, 70% over3 trips, and 7% over 11 trips

Unmarried (no children)
Married (no children)
Married (with children)
Unmarried(with children)

The survey respondents were mainly

Women in their 20s and 30s who are accustomed to traveling abroad andhave a high degree of freedom in terms of financial resources.
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4B) Use of social media

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5

B-1 Gathering information using social media
Q： Which social media do you usually use as your “information gathering tools”? (multiple answ ers)

100% use Instagram followed by
Twitter and YouTube.
Some use Pinterest and foreign
media/blogs.

Q： Do you use Instagram hashtags w hen
searching travel information?

Q： What kind of information do you search w ith Instagram
hashtags w hen traveling overseas? (multiple answ ers)

Almost all use Instagram hashtag searches
when gathering information for their trips.

Many searches related to how to spend time at thedestination, such as “tourism spots,”“food and drinks,” and “cafe.”

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B-1 How social media is used to gather information
Q： Which overseas destination impressed you more w ith their Instagram posts during yourrecent searches, and w hy?

* S h o wn a s wr i t t e n i n t h e f r e e a n s we r f o r m

Why they are appealing“Scenery I can only see at the destination”“Charming streets” “W orld Heritage Sites”“Historical sites” “Temple”“Experience I can only have at the destination”“Luxury” “Special hotel stay”“Extraordinary experience” “Nature”“Relax / refresh”“Photography”“I want to tak e photos in the same place” etc.

1. Unique and scenic photographs of thedestinations (streets, World Heritage Sites,
temples, cafes, etc.).
2. Posts that enable view ers to imagine
themselves at the destination (extraordinary
experiences, relaxation, etc.).
3. Posts that make people w ant to take similar
kind of photos at the destination.
Posts that reflect the above three make viewers
relate to them more.

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B-1 How social media is used to gather information

Examples of posts which received positive feedback during discussions

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B-1 How social media is used to gather information
Q： Describe the Instagram posts w hich help you to choose the place w hen deciding your trip
destination.

Instagram posts that identify the tourism spots/experiences which are only
available in the destination concerned are most desired.
Creating empathy such as ”to be at the same place" is important (ref. P8. ).
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B-1 How social media is used to gather information
Q： When you acquire information on an overseas destination through social media, w hat
information sources do you trust most? (multiple answ ers)

Posts by third parties such as “travel influencers” and “social media accounts oftravel-related media” are most trusted. On the other hand, many people follow
Twitter accounts of national tourism offices (NTOs).
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B-1 How social media is used to gather information

Q： Are there any travel influencers or travel -related accounts you often check on Instagram?
Please also tell us why.

xxcaoxx
creamnatsu
aggie
sao_0324
TaraMilkTea
yuuki_tadokoro
hi_trip
lovetabretripdianamiaus
Shih0107
genic_mag
travelsalaryman
Luxury travel and hotels
sakiiyaellejapan
Travel+Leisure
CREA Traveller
dotzsohzkg10
triproudlesleslin
tabippotabijoyuuki_tadokoro
beautifulhotels
manashikaoooooayumiooooo
Hawaiilovers___chisyan___relux
bestplacetogo
maakomind
ayanceKRAZY honeymoon
risutravel
genic_mag
Travelsalaryman
sofie.neu
hello_Dongwon
marta__sierracoco.slife
ooooooayumioooooo
001y_kVisit
TRAVEL+LEISURE
MAPPLE Activity
amebeverly
tabimuse

Main reasons
•
•

•
•

Like the unified image of the account
The photos provide references on thetechniques to take pictures
There are photos and detailed
information (text) that make me want
to travel
There is timely information that makes
me understand what’s happening now*Lis ted in random order*Shown as written in the f ree answer f orm

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B-2 Suggestion for social media improvement- based on group discussion
Instagram users have two main objectives for travel search :finding deep information, and saving the information for future
travel

2. Can customize and makel i s t s s o t h e s a ve d p o s t s c a n
b e s e e n a n yt i m e

One of the objectives of browsing Instagram is to dig deeper f or inf ormation.
For example, if users f ind a hotel they want to stay at on the internet, theytend to then search f or the hotel name on Instagram using "#(NAME)hotel,"and look at various posts by people who stayed there, bef ore deciding. Of
course, there are also cases where people search using area names suchas "#dananghotels " to gather a wide range of inf ormation.
However, if they search with a specif ic hotel name and f ind attractive photos
posted, they are more likely to take action to make a reservation at that
hotel.
Another purpose is to use the save f unction. Many women in 20s and 30s
browse Instagram daily, and access the posts by people they f ollow.
The countries they want to visit af ter seeing posts are saved “f or f uture
travel." They stock up their photos daily, and the saved inf ormation is used
as candidate destination list when they make specif ic travel plan. Instagram
has a big inf luence on their travel decisions.

1 . S a vi n g a p o s t u s i n g
t h e s a ve b u t t o n

Search words extend to Japanese, English and local languages!
Millennials are good at gathering inf ormation on Instagram. In order to reach “better” inf ormation, they also
search in English and the local language in addition to Japanese to acquire inf ormation f rom not only Japanesepeople but also f rom people around the world. If you only search in Japanese, you f ind many posts by businesstravelers which millennials cannot relate to. By using multiple languages when searching, the range ofinf ormation is broadened.

Post content that will be saved in future travel lists of users, and deliver
content with proper information and language to be included in hashtag
search results.
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B-2 Suggestion for social media improvement- based on group discussion
People want “correct information” from the Instagram accounts of NTOs
Different purposes for Twitter and Instagram
A few followed Instagram accounts of NTOs, but many said they follow the Twitter accounts of NTOs. The
reason being people want "correct information" rather than pictures from NTOs, so it is more importantthat the text content is accurate and rich.
On the other hand, according to those who follow Instagram accounts of NTOs, their common comment
was that NTO accounts reposted "selected great posts" from the general public. This indicates that one
effective measure to operate accounts is to regram appealing photos.

▼ Account example: Cairns government regional tourism organization

Ad d i t i o n a l t e x t
information from thetourism bureau
Mentionof theoriginal
posterEncouraging posts
with fixed descriptionsof accounts andhashtags

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13C) CLMV survey results

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C-1 CLMV
Q: Which CLMV countries have you visited? ( multiple answers)

Comments from thegroup discussion
Cam bodia and Viet Nam
are well k nown in J apan,
and probably m any
people travel to the twocountries to visit theirc ities and touris t s pots .
O n the other hand, Laosand Myanm ar have m any
elem ents f or
“ex perienc ed travelers .”T hey are not well- k nownin J apan, s o the num berof vis itors is not large.

Viet Nam ranked top, followed by Cambodia.
Most of those who had been to Laos and Myanmar had also been to Cambodia
or Viet Nam.

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C-1 CLMV
Q: Who did you travel w ith to CLMV? (multiple answ ers)

Comments from thegroup discussion
T her e ar e s pec if ic
pur pos es to vis it
Cam bodia and Viet
Nam , s uc h as her itage
tour s , s hopping andbeac h r es or t, whic h is
why m or e people ar etr aveling with f em alec om panions . W her eas
f or Laos and Myanm ar ,ther e ar e m or e s olo
tr aveler s who“ bac k pac k ed alone” or“ tr aveled ar oundSoutheas t As ia.”

<All CLMV countries> The top two were “all -female travel” and “solo travel.”<Cambodia and Viet Nam> “all-female travel” was the top.
<Laos and Myanmar> “solo travel” was the top.
Travel companion differed depending on the “purpose” of travel.
* A s t h e n u m b e r o f r e s p o n d e n t s d i f f e r s , t h e f i g u r e s a r e s h o wn i n p e r c e n t a g e s .
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C-1 CLMV
Q： Which CLMV countries have you considered to travel to, and w hy? (multiple answ ers)

<Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar> Tourism attractions were most appealing.
<Viet Nam> was the only country that was chosen for its good food.
Vietnamese food, which is popular in Japan, is becoming a purpose of travel.
*Detailed report for each country appear in later pages.
*As the num ber of responde nts differs, the figures are shown in percentag es.
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C-1 CLMV
Q： If there are countries that you w ant to visit but still have not gone to, w hy? (multiple answ ers)

<Laos/Myanmar> Insufficient information on the internet.
<Cambodia> Public safety and high travel cost.
<Viet Nam> High travel cost.
*Detailed report for each country appear in later pages.
* A s t h e n u m b e r o f r e s p o n d e n t s d i f f e r s , t h e f i g u r e s a r e s h o wn i n p e r c e n t a g e s .
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C-1 CLMV
Q: What other destinations did you compare/consider before deciding to visit CLMV? (multiple
answ ers)

Thailand was overwhelmingly the top.
For trips to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, people tend to visit multiple countries,
and many entered the countries through Thailand as backpackers.
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19C-2) Cambodia

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C-2 Cambodia

Q: What made you want to travel to Cambodia? (multiple answers)

Comments from thegroup discussion
Mem bers who vis ited
Cam bodia lik ed
touring his toric als ites and tem ples ,and everyone vis ited
Siem Reap to s ee
Angk or W at.
For m any people,
Angk or W at is them us t- vis it plac e, andthe ic onic touris t s pot
is attrac ting vis itors .

The top reason was “There are tourist spots that interest me.”Cambodia has a strong image as the location of the “Angkor Wat” and “historicalsites,” and many wanted to travel to Cambodia to see them.

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C-2 Cambodia

Q: Why haven’t you traveled to Cambodia yet? (multiple answ ers)

Comments from thegroup discussion
None of the group
dis c us s ion m em bers
thought that Cam bodia
was uns af e. O n thec ontrary, even when
they were travelings olo, they wereim pres s ed by people’s
k indness, and neverf elt threatened.
T here is a big gap on
im pres s ions of s af ety
between thos e whohave vis ited
Cam bodia and thos e
who haven’t.

The majority considered the country to be “unsafe.”
However, people who have visited Cambodia say they never felt unsafe, which is totallydifferent from the response of people who have not been to Cambodia.
More should be done to appeal with the safety of Cambodia.

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C-2 Cambodia
Q: What are good points about a travel to Cambodia’s (impressions after going for those w ho
have visited Cambodia, or impressions that come to mind for those who have not). (multiple
answ ers)

Comments fromthe group discussion
All m em bers vis ited
Cam bodia to “s eeAngk or W at.”O ther c ountries wereof ten visited as a side trip f rom a m ain
des tination, whereas
Cam bodia was the m ain
des tination and people
vis ited with a purpos e
to "tour tem ples .”However, inf orm ation on
tourist attractions otherthan tem ples was quites c arc e andunim pres s ive.

Many chose purpose of travel, such as “touring temples” and “there are many
tourist spots.”“Inexpensive prices” was also cited as a good point.

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C-2 Suggestion for Cambodia promotion- based on group discussion
Because it's a famous tourist destination, it provides a sense of safety to[beginner travelers]

１

The f act that Cambodia is the location of Angkor W at and other tourist spots and welcomes many
travelers conveys the impression that the place is saf e. For beginners and students who are notaccustomed to travel abroad, a saf e country with W orld Heritage Sites can be appealing.

[Angkor Wat] is the top travel purpose!
The reasons for choosing Cambodia are because it is near, and a different
world can be experienced

２

The top reason f or choosing Cambodia was to see Angkor W at.
Many also chose Cambodia because “you can go there in a short travel duration" and "experiencean otherworldly atmosphere” when they planned their quick solo trip to get a break f rom their busy
lives. The Republic of Korea and Taiwan are also popular f or quick solo trips, but Cambodia makesa more impactf ul impression on people who are looking f or a dif f erent world that is new to them.

[Beng Mealea] It’s actually not yet known!

３

Beng Mealea was highly evaluated as “just like the world of Laputa,” “the most wonderf ul spot,” and“the most mysterious.” Some members said that it was better than Angkor W at, and it is one of the
spots that should be promoted more in the f uture. Members also commented that they were soothedby the “sunset at Tonlé Sap Lake.” Going f orward, it will be necessary to convey the appeals of not
only temples, but also caf es, hotels, nature, f ood and other attractions, without depending not todepend only on Angkor W at.

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C-2 Recommendations from discussion participants“Touring the historical sites in a tuk -tuk is one of
my best unique memories of Cambodia. Suddenly,
this gate appeared, and I thought it was so
Cambodian!
I was very excited to go through it.”

“It wasn’t mentioned in any
guidebook s, but I saw two
shops in town and went there
twice during my short stay.
It was photogenic anddelicious! ”“A spa called Spa Khmer. It's a Japanese operated spa that is very clean and stylish, andthe staff was sk illful.
There was one spa booth in each building in theforest, and I received service there. It was adifferent massage experience from city spas! ”

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C-2 Characteristics of travel to Cambodia- based on group discussion

Can go even on a short break.
Can warp to a world different from everyday life!
Travel to relax and reward yourself.
Good point Angkor Wat is the biggest attraction and purpose to travel to Cambodia



Points for review
 Big potential to expand target visitor segments by sorting points that can bepromoted besides temples
 Many consider the country “unsafe” even though it is actually safe Some have an impression that travel costs are highComments on
improvementfrom thediscussions

Some members suggested to promote that many
Cambodians are friendly to Japanese, which they felt when
they visited Cambodia.

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26C-3) Lao PDR

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C-3 Lao PDR

Q: What made you w ant to travel to Laos? (multiple answ ers)
Comments from thegroup discussion
T wo k ey c om m ents
m entioned during
dis c us s ion were “youc an ex perienc e thelux ury of doing
nothing there” and“vis it to Luang
Prabang, the W orld
Heritage Site.” Manym em bers traveled to
Laos to ex perienc e
and s ee thos e. Laosof f ers a variet y of
attrac tions that you
c an ex perienc e onlyin the country.

The top answer was “There are tourist spots that interest me,” followed by “there isabundant nature.”“There is abundant nature” did not rank high for other countries, so it is an
attraction/impression unique to Laos.
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C-3 Lao PDRQ:

Why haven’t you traveled to Laos yet? (multiple answ ers)
Comments from thegroup discussion
Not m any m em bers had
traveled to Laos as am ain des tination, but asa s ide trip while vis iting
other c ountries .
However, they had very
pos itive c om m ents af ter
their vis it, s uc h as “It
was the bes t plac e I've
ever been to! ” Sinc esuch appeals have notreac hed to people, it is
nec es s ary to prom ote
attrac tions s o thattravelers will m ak e
travel plans with Laosas the m ain des tination.

The top response was “I had never considered visiting,” indicating that Laos isstill not very well known. There were also many concerns about the lack of
information on the internet and Instagram. It is necessary to provide more
information that will influence people to want to visit Laos.
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C-3 Lao PDR
Q: What are good points about a travel to Laos (impressions after going for thosew ho have visited Laos, or impressions that come to mind for those w ho have not). (multiple
answ ers)

Comments from thegroup discussion
W ords s uc h as
“m editation,” “detox ,”and “tim e warp” wererepeatedl y us ed todes c ribe Laos during thedis c us s ion. However,s om e c ons idered that
Laos was “f orex perienc ed travelers ”
due to its levelof c leannes s and s tageof developm ent. Sinc e
the k eywords m entioned
m atc h elem ents f ordes ired pos t - CO VID - 19
travel, appropriate andtim ely prom otion m ay
inc reas e people’s
awarenes s of Laos .

The largest number responded they ”don’t have really an impression” meaningthat Laos’ tourism attractions were not yet fully conveyed. However, “local
people are friendly,” was next, and it may be effective to promote a keyword
such as “kindness of people” in addition to tourist spots.
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C-3

Suggestions for Lao PDR promotion- based on group discussion
Laos’ biggest appeal is [to experience the luxury to do nothing]
The ancient World Heritage town like Kyoto

１

Currently, many people visit Laos not f or the usual tourist attractions, but rather to experiencef eelings that can only be f elt by going there, such as “to experience the luxury of doing nothing.”
Luang Prabang is the W orld Heritage town where tourists can enjoy walking around. Visiting such a
special town is one of the purposes of traveling to Laos, and some members said that it “f eels
similar to going to Kyoto.”

Keywords that describe Laos are[meditation], [detox], and [time warp]

２

Several members said they shed tears spontaneously in Laos - simply by looking at ordinary
streets, natural scenery and beautif ul sunsets. One member said that the spotty W IFI f reed her
f rom her mobile phone and she could spend more time meditating. These experiences match
people's requirements f or post-pandemic travel, and this could be an opportunity to promote Laos.

[Vang Vieng] is still not well known, but it is a city withgreat potential

３

Only a small number of members had visited Vang Vieng. However, those who went there weref ascinated by the Blue Lagoon and answered that they want to go back. People who had only
visited Luang Prabang were also keen to visit Vang Vieng in the f uture. People usually consider
that the old capital of Luang Prabang is the highlight of Lao tourism, but target segments can be
expanded by promoting both Luang Prabang and photogenic Vang Vieng.

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C-3

Recommendations from discussion participants“The tour of the Blue Lagoon
in Vang Vieng and its blue
color.
I will never forget them.”“Utopia’ Café in Luang Prabang.
The open space was filled withwesterners and I visited
there many times during my stay.”“The whole city of Luang Prabang is full ofcharm. The hills, the mark ets, and so on.
You can experience all the charm of thecountry just by strolling around the city.
That is what is most wonderful.”

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C-3

Characteristics of travel to Lao PDR- based on group discussion

The ancient city of Luang Prabang.
Just spending time walking around will soothe your soul!
A detox trip to heal yourself.
Good points
 Strengths are “the World Heritage town,” “sunsets and nature,” and “friendly
people”
 Use the phrase “luxury to experience nothing” to appeal to experienced travelers

Points for review
 Measures need to be taken so that people plan a trip to Laos as their main
destination
 By strengthening promotion of Vang Vieng, it will be possible to appeal different
attractions to different target, not just Luang Prabang
 Information on the internet and Instagram is insufficient

Comments on
improvementfrom thediscussions

For Laos, the number of hashtag search results andinfluencer posts on Instagram in the Japanese language isvery small. Increasing the number and improving the qualityof posts on Instagram could help further strengthen theappeal of the country.
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C-4） Myanmar* T h i s i s t h e r e s u l t o f t h e q u a n t i t a t i ve s u r ve y c o n d u c t e d i n J a n u a r y 2 0 2 1 a n d
the discussions held on February 3, 2021.

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34

C-4 Myanmar
Q：

What made you want to travel to Myanmar? (multiple answers)
Comments from thegroup discussion
No m em bers traveled
to Myanm ar as theirm ain des tination, but
alm os t all who
vis ited highl y rated
the c ountry - it
bec am e “m y f avoritec ountry I want torecom m end toothers .” All m em bers
vis ited Yangon, andthe m aj orityc om m ented that
Myanm ar is a
des tination f or
“ex perienc ed
travelers” due to its
level of c leanlines s
and s tatus ofdevelopm ent.

The largest number chose “There are tourist spots that interest me.” Many
respondents also chose “I think the country's atmosphere is appealing,”suggesting that they have a yearning to visit and interest in Myanmar.

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C-4 MyanmarQ:

Why haven’t you traveled to Myanmar yet? (multiple answ ers)

Comments from thegroup discussion
Members said that“people are
extremely k ind” andthat they want more
Japanese to k now
about this. It was
mostly seasoned
travelers that wereattracted by thek indness of the locals,
and they never felt
unsafe at all.

In addition to the lack of information on the internet, the country has a strong
negative image for being unsafe. Measures are needed to dispel this negative
image.

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C-4 Myanmar
Q: What are good points about a travel to Myanmar (impressions after going for thosew ho have visited Myanmar, or impressions that come to mind for those w ho have not).
(multiple answ ers)

Comments fromthe group
discussion
A f ew m em bers
enj oyed lux ury
ex perienc es s uc h asvilla stays in Bagan.
For the m aj ority, it
was vis iting pagodas ,“G olden Roc k ,”“s treets with people
walk ing aroundwearing c olorf ullongyi,” and “m ark etshopping,” m ainly inYangon.

Top two answers were “prices are inexpensive” and “can tour temples.” It seems
that Myanmar is already known for its tourist spots with many temples.

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C-4

Suggestions for Myanmar promotion- based on group discussion
The most appealing country compared to the other 3 countries for those
who have traveled there!
A country full of charms that you won’t know unless you visit there

１

Myanmar is of ten a side trip destination, as people do not have high expectations to choose it as
the main destination. However, some members actually f ound the country very appealing af ter
visiting there, and it became their number one destination. There is potential to increase thenumber of people wanting to visit Myanmar by f ully promoting the special charms that one will f ind
in Myanmar.

They’re warm!
[Kindness of people of Myanmar]２

People who had a f avorable impression of Myanmar were enthusiastic to share how kind local
people were. Members who have visited various countries unanimously answered that they f eel
people of Myanmar are overwhelm ing ly kind compared to other countries, and they do not expect
anything in return. W e can say that Myanmar is also suitable f or beginner travelers, because
tourists are less likely to be exposed to rip -of f s and other unpleasant experiences and f eel saf e.

[Bagan] is a must-see!
It is filled with recommended spots, including the sunrise scenery,villas, cafes, etc....

３

All members visited Yangon, and small number also visited Bagan. Those who visited Bagan were
so f ascinated that they say they will “def initely recommend Bagan to others.” Stylish villas andcaf es, as well as the f act that Bagan is still not well known by Asian travelers, are also attracting
attention. W e believe that there is much potential to expand the target segment of promotion bystrengthening the dissemination of inf ormation about Bagan.

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C-4

Recommendations from discussion participants“The Strand Yangon,
where you can enjoy
Myanmar-style afternoon
tea. I definitely
recommend it!""Rangoon Tea House. I experienced
Myanmar's culture with marble tables and aselection of 16 types of Myanmar milk tea.""I wanted to see the Golden Rockif I ever go to Yangon, and it wasamazing! "お気に入りのロンジーを市場で購入し泊まったヴィラで撮影"The sunrise as I climbed up the pagoda.
I was moved at how fantastic the
countless silhouettes of the pagodas
were.”"I bought my favorite longyi at themark et and took a photo at the villawhere I stayed. The longyi were allcolorful and cute! "Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

39

C-4

Characteristics of travel to Myanmar- based on group discussion

A fantastic world you won’t know unless you visit there.
Travel that will enrich your heart with the kindness of thepeople and spectacular scenery.
Good points
 Safe and secure for both solo and female travelers
 The kindness of people impresses experienced travelers
 Has more appeals than the other three countries

Points for review
 Measures need to be taken so that people plan a trip to Myanmar as theirmain destination
 There is an impression that a trip to Myanmar means just touring the pagodas
of Yangon
 Bagan has the potential to become preferred destination for more Japanesewomen by strengthening promotion
 Information on the internet and Instagram is insufficient

Comments on
improvementfrom thediscussions

Myanmar's appeal is not only its wonderful spots, but also
the kindness of its people and its mystical atmosphere.
Some members commented that promotions of Myanmar ’s
charms should be in a way to appeal to people’s hearts.

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

40C-5) Viet Nam

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

41

C-5 Viet Nam

Q:

What made you w ant to travel to Viet Nam? (multiple answ ers)
Comments from thegroup discussion
Mem ber s m entioned
m any c ities anddes tinations theyvis ited in Viet Nam f r om r es or t s tays in Da
Nang and Phú Q uốc ,to s hopping andm as s ages in Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City,
to Hoi An, Dalat, andother c ities . Sinc eeac h c ity c an be
vis ited f or a dif f er ent
pur pos e, ther e ar em any r epeat vis itor s
who vis it ever y year ors ever al tim es a year .

The most selected answer was “The food is delicious," which differentiates Viet
Nam from other countries.
Many also answered that “There are cities/towns/streets I want to visit,” whichshows that the appeal of each city is well -communicated to the public.

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

42

C-5 Viet Nam

Q:

Why haven’t you traveled to Viet Nam yet? (multiple answers)
Comments from thegroup discussion
Many m em bers vis ited
Viet Nam f or a quic k trip,
m os tly to vis it one c ity
f or three to f our days andtwo nights over the
week end. Contrary to theres ults of thequantitative s urvey, nogroup dis c us s ion
m em bers werec onc erned about the hightravel c os ts , perhaps
bec aus e they took quic ktrips regularl y. Som em em bers were concerned
about the lac k ofc onvenienttrans portation, and s aidthat this m ay m ak e it
dif f ic ult f or beginners togo s ights eeing.

The majority was concerned about high travel costs, and some about the lack of
information on local transportation.
Local transportation information needs to be strengthened for local and cross -city
travel.
Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

43

C-5 Viet Nam
Q: What are good points about a travel to Viet Nam (impressions after going for those
who have visited Viet Nam, or impressions that come to mind for those who have not).(multiple
answ ers)

90

81

80

73

70
60

53

50
40

41

The local
people arefriendly

There aremany spots
postedonsocial media

44

45

There arewonderfulhotelsThere arewonderfulcafes/
restaurants/
bars

56

40
28

30
20

Comments from thegroup discussion

11

11

It is possible
to tour
temples

Transportationisconvenient

100
It is safe

It is nearand easy to
travel to

There aremany tourist
spots

Prices are
inexpensive

The food isdelicious

In addition to thedelic ious f ood, eac hcity has its own
unique c harm , andm em bers pointed outthat being able toc hoos e a des tination
depending on
dif f erent purpos es
s uc h as beac hes ,s hopping, c af es ,dining and hotels was
the s trength of VietNam .

“Delicious food” was again the top response, which was the same result as thequestion on the reason for wanting to visit Viet Nam. The low prices andabundant tourist spots also made a favorable impression overall. None of the
respondents answered, “I don’t really have an impression,” indicating thatJapanese women have a favorable impression of Viet Nam.
Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

44

C-5

Suggestions for Viet Nam promotion- based on group discussion

Resorts, shopping, cafe hopping, and more...
A country of cities with a wide variety of attractions!

１

Viet Nam had the highest number of cities/destinations mentioned during the group discussion.
Members visited Viet Nam f or various purposes, including beach resorts, shopping, city strolls, caf ehopping and hotel stays. Tourists can choose dif f erent cities f or dif f erent purposes in Viet Nam,which makes Viet Nam a destination that attracts many repeat visitors, including those who visit Viet
Nam several times a year.

The second Melbourne?
[Hanoi] can be promoted for its cafe culture２

Hanoi’s wonderf ul caf es should be promoted more. Hanoi has potential to be like Melbourne inAustralia, where caf e hopping has been booming in the past f ew years. By strengthening thedissemination of inf ormation on attractive caf es, a caf e boom could be created. Group discussion
members also highly evaluated how Vietnamese people made excellent communication on social
media. Using social media content of local inf luencers may be ef f ective f or promotion in Japan andother countries.

The food is surely delicious! Plus, you can take a quick trip!
Viet Nam is a destination where people want to go back３

Compared to Thailand, which was the most popular country f or destination comparison, members
said that Viet Nam is easier to visit due to its short f light time. People can make quick trips to Viet
Nam, which enables them to travel several times a year to dif f erent cities in Viet Nam. Viet Nam had
the highest number of discussion members who “visit every year” or “go multiple times a year.” Its
French colonial history is also appealing, and people are attracted not only to the delicious French
bread, but also to the beauty of the cityscape.

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

45

C-5

Recommendations from discussion participants“ Even though it's not Vietnam es e f ood,
the bread is delic ious ! Even the
Starbuc k s bread is very s atis f ying, whic his typic a l of Viet Nam ."“Starf ish Beach on Phú Quốcwas cute”

お気に入りのロンジーを市場で購入し泊まったヴィラで撮影“Hanoi has a picturesque appearance”“I recommend Dalat, which
is famous as a coffee
cultivation area, for cafe
lovers!”Examples of Viet Nam influencers
that the discussion participants pay
attention to••“I f ully enjoy the beach resorts in Da
Nang, which I visit regularly”•

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

https://instagram.com/coffeeholiicc?igshid=1t
zbt9l86nujq
https://instagram.com/hanhchipp?igshid=1lyv
yxsuqv00jhttps://instagram.com/thaonhile?igshid=1f3sz
gr1qwatu

46

C-5

Characteristics of travel to Viet Nam- based on group discussion

Enjoyable for both travel beginners andexperienced travelers.
Will make people want to visit again and again.
Can fulfill different purposes of travel.
Good points
 Suitable for quick trips
 Tourists can visit different cities for different purposes Viet Nam can be enjoyed by both travel beginners and experienced travelers

Points to review
 Different approach must be taken to appeal to travel beginners and experienced
travelers Hanoi is the second Melbourne! Hanoi 's cafes have potential to appeal towomen, but this is not yet known.
 Survey result show that people have the impression that “travel costs are
expensive” in Viet Nam

Comments on
improvementfrom thediscussions

Some members pointed out that they haven’t heard of Viet
Nam’s unique festivals and events. Festivals and events
can also be reasons to travel in the future.

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

47D) Summary by the survey company

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

48

D Summary by the survey company
Q: What is important factors for post -COVID-19 overseas travel?
Comments from thegroup discussion
Although “c leanlines sof the des tination” wasim portant, m em bers
were m ore worried
about the inc reas e ofinf ec tion c as es andother related m atterswhen considering theirf uture des tinations .
Many c om m ented thatrather than the us ual
c leanlines s , they pay
m ore attention to thec urrent s ituation of
inf ec tions , nationalc ounterm eas ures f or
COVID-19 and others uc h as pec ts in the
pandem ic .

For the first country they want to visit when overseas travel resumes,
the majority answered, “my favorite country” or “a safe country.” In the time of thepandemic, people are actively seeking information on infection situations and nationalcountermeasures taken, to determine if a country is safe as their next travel destination.

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

49

D Summary by the survey company

Instagram hashtag searches are the norm!

１

For Japanese women in their 20s and 30s, gathering inf ormation on Instagram is the norm. W hen it
comes to travel inf ormation, many people search not only in Japanese but also in English and local
languages.
Using proper hashtags is important to reach the young f emale segment.

３２

Using travel influencers to provide useful travel information on Instagram is effective. The number ofJapanese tourists to CLMV is still limited as well as hashtags of k eywords in the Japanese language(see next page). NTOs may choose impactful Instagram posts and regram them by adding suitable andinfluential hashtags to reach potential travelers.

３

People who lik e to travel are not think ing about when they can go abroad again, but rather are still
constantly seek ing information about future travel destinations.
By thoroughly informing people about the infection conditions and safety measures tak en in thedestination now, people may consider the country as their next travel destination.

Strengthen communication by using travel influencers and reposting on Instagram!

Start spreading aw areness about safety during the COVID -19 crisis now !

What can be strengthened

４

•
•
•
•

Cambodia: Promote attractions other than Angkor W at and temples
Laos: Promotion f or visitors to make travel plan to Laos as the main travel destination
Myanmar: Promotion f or visitors to make travel plan to Myanmar as the main travel destination
Viet Nam: Customized promotion f or travel beginners and experienced travelers respectively

Those who have visited CLMV had very good impressions of the countries, meaning that thecountries provide higher quality tourism experiences that exceeded visitors’ expectations.
All four countries have elements to attract young Japanese women, and the destinations could
increase visitor arrivals by taking appropriate approach.
Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

50

Appendix
Instagram hashtag search results in Japanese
Laos

Cambodia

Accounts

Tags

Places#Cambodia

358 thousand resultsTop

Accounts

Tags

#Laos

550 results

8,800 results#Cambodia Solo
Female Travel

1,301 results

Places#Viet Nam

#Myanmar Life

#Viet Nam Travel#Viet Nam People#Viet Nam Language
11 thousand results

759 results#Myanmar

5,095 results#Viet Nam Food

16 thousand results

2,230 results

385 results

Places

143 thousand results#Myanmar Solo

#Laos Solo Travel#Cambodia Souvenirs

Tags

326 thousand results#Myanmar Travel#Laos Fabric
1,285 results

Accounts#Myanmar Food

1,146 results#Cambodia GuideTop

964 thousand results

9,981 results

Laos #Laos Festivals

Cancel#Myanmar#Laos Products#Cambodia Girls
Trip

Tags

139 thousand results#Laos Food

11 thousand results

5,390 results

Accounts

9,385 results

6,159 results

15 thousand results

Top#Laos Travel
6,915 results#Cambodia Food

8,486 results

Places

104 thousand results#Cambodia Travel
38 thousand results

CancelCancelCancelTop

Viet Nam

Myanmar#Viet Nam Products
18 thousand results#Myanmar Lifestyle#Viet Nam Coffee
48 thousand results#Cambodia#Laos#Myanmar#Viet Nam

358 thousand
results

104 thousand
results

139 thousand
results

964 thousand
results#Cambodia travel

38 thousand
results#Laos travel#Myanmar travel

6,915 results

9,981 results#Viet Nam travel
143 thousand
results#Cambodia food
8,486 results#Laos food
6,159 results#Myanmar food
9,385 results#Vietnam food
326 thousand results

Copyright© ASEAN-Japan Centre ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

51