Characteristics analysis of hot spring users by daytrip －based on daytime user data of hot spring inns－

Abstract

In recent years, the number of daytime hot spring facilities where the guests can casually enjoy bathing by daytrip has been increasing, and several preceding studies have been made on the history of this increase and its economic background. However, in my view, there have been few preceding studies on the characteristics（attributes and consumption behavior）of daytime hot spring users. This paper focuses on daytrip packages organized by hot spring inns that could contribute to the development of hot spring district as tourist destination, and reviews the attributes（age and gender groups）of their users based on the reservation data at the online booking websites, to see what kind of people are using them for what purposes, and examines the consumption behavior（contents of the packages, unit prices and number of travel companions）of their main users. The result of this research shows that the attributes of hot spring users by daytrip are unlike the trend in domestic overnight trips, mainly consisting of family groups, young women and fewer senior groups. Their consumption behavior also revealed that they enjoy daytrip to hot springs as“small-scale version of overnight trip”where they can enjoy meals and the use of guestrooms, not just as simply taking baths.