The Okinawa Development Finance Corporation suggested that car-centered travel in Okinawa may discourage Generation Z and Millennium Generation, who are designated as the future market leaders, to choose Okinawa as a leisure destination, according to its survey results. Main ground transportation to travel in Okinawa is rent-a-car for visitors. 

The survey results show that 53.8% of 40 years old or older say ‘they do not hesitate to use rent-a-car,’ while the ratio drops to 37.7% among Generation Z and Millennium Generation, particularly to 28.1% among Generation Z only. 

32% of Generation Z say that they have no chance to use rent-a-car because they do not have driver licenses. Intention to choose Okinawa as a leisure destination is lower for people without driver licenses or with hesitation to use rent-a-car. 

報道資料より

The top three reasons for not choosing Okinawa as a leisure destination are ‘long distance (48,2%),’ ‘expensive travel cost (44.6%)’ and ‘attracted by other destinations (14.8%).’ 

In addition, ‘incovenient ground transportation in Okinawa (13.9%)’ and ‘hesitation to drive a car (4.8%)’ are selected as reasons. 

報道資料より

Among GenZ who have visited Okinawa for leisure before, 18.1% say that they are actually planning to revisit Okinawa again, and 69.8%, including ‘within the next three years’ or ‘someday in the future,’ show their preferences to revisit Okinawa.

On the other hand, among people who have visited Okinawa for school trips before, ‘No plan to revisit Okinawa’ is answered by 80% of 40 years old or older, 66.2% of Millennium Generation and 46.3% of GenZ. 

Based on the survey results, the Okinawa Development Finance Corporation suggests establishment of a public transportation system, deliver of information on other accesses than car and also creation of more deliberate experience contents for school trips to increase revisits to Okinawa in the future.