Japanese travel agents launch post-tsunami campaigns
The director of Japan Association of Travel Agents believes the recovery of outbound travel from Japan is the first step towards recovery of the inbound market.
Hiroshi Sawabe said outbound travel by Japanese would decline by between three and four percent in 2011 but confidence was returning to the outbound market following a huge slowdown following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in the north-east of the country.
The numbers of those who died or are still missing following the disaster has reached 23,500. The total cost of the earthquake and its aftermath to the Japanese economy has been estimated at US$300 billion.
Sawabe said the speed of the recovery in outbound travel has been faster than anticipated.
Initially overseas travel by Japanese dropped sharply but since the start of the Golden Week holidays in late April, the rate of decline had slowed and was 10-12 per cent down compared with the same period in 2010.
Sawabe said the Japanese travel industry must deal with the problem by showing leadership and working with industry partners to get tourism back on track.
A “Cheer Up Japan, Smile Through Travel†campaign has been launched to get people traveling and, in turn, help the economic recovery in the country.
Poster displays at mainline rail stations are encouraging Japanese to travel and those going overseas are being encouraged to take part in a postcard distribution campaign.
Japanese travellers hand the postcards – which bear the message “Hope to See You Again in Japan†– to their overseas friends in the hope of stimulating inbound travel to Japan.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025