City sightseeing in Shanghai and Beijing, business trips to Dalian and Guangzhou, and trips for history and food culture. China is close enough to arrive in 3-4 hours from Japan, yet many apps and services familiar in Japan are not available there, and payments are mainly made through unique payment apps, making the preparation content vastly different from other destinations.

Travelers who have actually visited often mention "unexpected confusion" and "things I wish I had prepared in advance."

Therefore, we conducted a joint survey with WiFi Travel, which provides WiFi rental services for China, targeting 150 men and women aged 20-59 nationwide who have traveled to China within the past 10 years.

This survey reveals the real situation of staying in China, from pre-trip anxiety to on-site difficulties, communication methods, what should have been prepared, and tips for using apps and services.

<Notes on using articles, etc.>

When quoting or reprinting the contents of this release, please comply with the following: ・Clearly state the source as "Joint survey by WiFi Travel and Plast Co., Ltd." ・Link to the WiFi rental service (https://www.wifi-travel.jp/countries/china/) ・Link to the relevant article (https://media.crossdata.co.jp/wifi-usage-survey-20260919/)

Survey Overview

Survey name: Questionnaire survey on China travelers Survey method: Internet questionnaire Survey period: September 8-15, 2026 Survey targets: Men and women aged 20-59 nationwide who answered "traveled to China within the past 10 years" in a preliminary questionnaire Valid responses: 150

Questions

Q1: How anxious were you about your stay before traveling to China? Q2: Did you encounter any unexpected difficulties or confusion during your stay in China? Q3: Please tell us about any difficulties or confusion you experienced during your stay in China. Q4: What communication methods did you use when traveling to China? Q5: Looking back on your trip to China, what do you wish you had prepared in advance? Q6: Please tell us about any difficulties or tips regarding the use of apps and services such as LINE, Google, and SNS during your stay in China, or anything you prepared in advance.

*Figures are rounded to the second decimal place, so totals may not equal 100%. *For questions with multiple answers, totals may exceed 100%.

65.3% felt anxious before travel – a destination you approach with caution

First, when asked how anxious they felt about their stay before traveling to China, "somewhat anxious" was the most common at 43.3%. Combined with "very anxious" at 22.0%, 65.3% – about two out of three – departed with some anxiety. "Not anxious" was only 34.7%.

[Anxiety before travel]

・Very anxious: 22.0% ・Somewhat anxious: 43.3% ・Not anxious: 34.7%

By gender, 68.4% of men and 60.0% of women felt anxious, with men slightly higher. The fact that information about language barriers, communication environments, and payment method differences is widely known before travel likely contributes to the high anxiety.

42.7% experienced "unexpected confusion" – even with preparation, surprises happen

Next, when asked whether they encountered unexpected difficulties or confusion during their stay in China, 42.7% said "yes" and 57.3% said "no."

[Difficulties/confusion during stay]

・Yes: 42.7% ・No: 57.3%

By gender, 47.4% of men and 34.5% of women faced unexpected situations, with nearly half of men doing so. Even though two out of three felt anxious before travel, over 40% still experienced "unexpected" confusion, suggesting a gap between pre-trip information and the actual situation on the ground.

Language, money, and communication simultaneously stand in the way – confusion in a country with a different "way of life"

Among the 64 respondents who answered "yes" to experiencing unexpected difficulties or confusion, the most common specific issue was "Chinese language not understood" at 57.8%. This was followed by "confused by cashless payments or local payment methods" at 43.8%, "communication environment (WiFi/internet) was unstable" at 42.2%, and "transportation/movement was difficult to understand" at 32.8%.

[Difficulties/confusion during stay]

・Chinese language not understood: 57.8%

・Communication environment (WiFi/internet) was unstable: 42.2% ・Confused by cashless payments or local payment methods: 43.8%

・Google, LINE, and SNS were not usable: 28.1%

・Anxious about safety or troubles: 26.6% ・Transportation/movement was difficult to understand: 32.8% ・Other: 10.9%

While language stands out at over half, payment and communication both around 40% reflect the fact that daily life in China operates on a different system. In China, everyday services such as search, maps, messaging, and payments are completed within domestic platforms, and many overseas services familiar in Japan cannot be used as is. The two items "communication environment was unstable" (42.2%) and "Google, LINE, and SNS were not usable" (28.1%) are less about line issues and more about confusion arising from the connected environment itself being different.

Regarding payments, in urban areas even street stalls and small shops commonly use app payments, and if you rely on cash or credit cards with a Japanese mindset, you may find yourself stopping in front of the register.

Other responses included "the train was significantly delayed, but I couldn't understand the announcement," showing that in an environment where travel information is provided in the local language and through local apps, language and communication barriers stand in the way simultaneously.

Communication preparation: one in three uses rental WiFi, divided from those who rely on local options

Regarding communication methods when traveling to China, "rental WiFi" was the most common at 34.0%, followed by "local SIM card" at 26.0% and "eSIM" at 23.3%.

[Main communication methods during travel]

・Rental WiFi: 34.0% ・Local SIM card: 26.0% ・eSIM: 23.3% ・Hotel/public WiFi only: 22.0% ・No preparation: 22.0%

By gender, men slightly outnumbered women in rental WiFi and local SIM cards, while women slightly outnumbered men in eSIM.

On the other hand, combining "hotel/public WiFi only" (22.0%) and "no preparation" (22.0%), over 40% did not prepare their own communication method. Given that unstable communication environments accounted for 42.2% and inability to use familiar services for 28.1% of difficulties, the presence or absence of communication preparation may determine on-site comfort.

Language can be managed, but communication and payment are different – two preparations where regret is concentrated

Looking back on their trip to China, what respondents felt they "should have prepared in advance"

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Survey