Aussies get a yen for Japan
SYDNEY – Australian arrivals to Japan during February and March 2010 have increased 20.5 percent and 13.3 percent, respectively, on 2009 figures, according to a preliminary report released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
Total Australian arrivals for the month of February 2010 numbered 20,600 compared with 17,101 in February 2009, and for the month of March 2010 were 20,500 compared with 18,096 in March 2009.
The JNTO report cited the appreciation of the Australian dollar against the yen – up from 65 yen in March 2009 to 82 yen in March 2010 – the return of consumer confidence, and the Visit Japan Year 2010 Campaign marketing effort which ran late November 2009 to March 2010, as contributing to the increase in Australians travelling to Japan.
Cumulative Australian visitor arrivals to Japan for the first three months of 2010 totalled 68,000 – up 9.5 percent on 2009 figures.
Australia is retaining its position as the sixth major Japan inbound market for the third year running, currently ahead of Thailand, UK, Canada and Singapore and behind South Korea, China, Taiwan, USA and Hong Kong.
Moreover, all of Japan’s major inbound markets are performing well in 2010 and cumulative visitor arrivals from all inbound markets for the three months from January to March totalled 2.01 million – up 29.4 percent on 2009 figures.
The figures released by JNTO include business, leisure and stopover visitors.
See our separate story on JAL quitting Brisbane services
Ian Jarrett
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