Snow and cherry blossoms cheer Japan
Australian arrivals to Japan in 2011 totaled 162,700, a 27.9 percent average annual decrease compared to 225,800 in 2010.
The figures released by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) indicate that tourism picked up in the latter half of 2011 with the rate of decline slowing to 11.7 percent in December 2011.
JNTO cites previously the unstable situation at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, worries about food and water safety and radiation issues as reasons for the slowdown.
The strong Japanese yen to the Australian dollar was also diverting Australian tourists to countries like the United States and Europe, JNTO said.
Yukio Yamashita, executive director JNTO Sydney office, said last minute bookings were coming in for the ski season, with the best snow in years creating ideal conditions for skiers, and also cherry-blossom tours in March-May 2012.
Total visitor numbers to Japan in 2011 were 6,219,300, a 27.8 percent decrease from 2010’s record figures of 8,611,175.
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