Dr. Fred Schumann, University of Guam Associate Professor of Global Resources Management, holds his recently published book.

Dr. Fred Schumann, University of Guam Associate Professor of Global Resources Management, recently published a book on shifts in Japanese tourism.   

Changing Trends in Japan's Employment and Leisure Activities - Implications for Tourism Marketing discusses how new developments in the Japanese workforce affect how the people spend their income and free time.

It also explains how these changes affect tourism destinations that rely on the Japanese market.   

“I’ve always believed that you should find out what’s going on in your visitors’ home country if you’re going to invite them to yours,” Schumann said. “What we do here really depends on what’s going on in their homes.”  

Over the last three years, Schumann has researched and collected data on the waxing and waning Japanese tourism market on Guam. By understanding what’s going on in Japan, destination management organizations and businesses that depend on tourism can re-strategize to fit the consumer.  

“Japan is 3 hours and 15 minutes away from Guam,” Schumann said. “The people have the money to travel. The market is very important for us, but the days of sitting back and waiting for people to visit are over. We need to find out more about our guests if we’re going to invite them to our home. It’s a challenge, but it’s an opportunity.”  

Some of the reasons why Japanese tourism trends have changed can be attributed to what Schumann describes as “myths” in his book.   

“There’s an assumption that Japanese people have “lifetime employment,” he said. “For many people living in that country, it’s just not true. Also, the population is shrinking. There are more contract workers—all these variables affect how Japanese people are spending their extra time and money.”   

Schumann, who has been a business executive in the Asia Pacific region for more than 30 years, has worked with various multinational retail and hospitality firms. In terms of research, his primary interests have been in the field of international tourism and trends in consumer spending.   

Schumann’s book can be purchased directly through the Springer Nature website here or on Amazon here. For more information, contact Fred Schumann at schumannf@triton.uog.edu.