2019/07/05(Source: FCオーナーズ運営事務局)
The term "inbound business" is frequently heard.
While you can vaguely imagine that it's a business involving "inbound" visitors, how does this connect to the "franchise business" that many readers are involved in? (Is there even a connection?)
The answer is yes.
One factor impacting franchises in the inbound business is the increase in foreign tourists. In preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese government has raised its target for foreign visitors from 20 million to a staggering 40 million. According to the Japan Tourism Agency's 2015 Survey on Consumer Trends of Foreign Visitors, the number of foreign visitors in 2015 was 19.37 million. The initial target was deemed achievable, leading to the setting of an even higher target. Furthermore, the target is set at 60 million by 2030. That number is half of Japan's total population!
This increase in foreign tourists necessitates two key responses for franchisees:
1) Customer Acquisition Through the Sense of Security Provided by Being a Major Chain: Restaurants belonging to brands that also exist in the countries where foreign tourists live (such as McDonald's) are easy to understand and offer a certain degree of consistency in taste. This makes it easier and more comfortable for foreign tourists to enter these restaurants in Japan, which is a strength for franchisees.
2) Customer Acquisition Through Catering to Non-Speaking/Reading Japanese: Outside of tourist hotspots like Asakusa, there are still relatively few restaurants in Japan that offer English, Chinese, or other language support. In this context, adapting menus to cater to tourists who want to try Japanese food but still feel hesitant, or providing menus in languages other than Japanese, would be extremely helpful. Such language services tend to spread easily through word-of-mouth, leading to a chain reaction of increased foreign tourist visits.
Based on the above, for those currently running a franchise business, and those considering starting one, understanding the headquarters' strategies for 2020 and beyond, and for the increasing inbound tourism business, could be a shortcut to success.
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