Travel News Europe - #75 - July&August 2007 - (Page 11)

I world destination JAPAN Japan apan has never been a particularly easy sell for European operators. “Too far”, “Too expensive”, and “Too different” were worries that many travellers voiced about visiting the Far East. But the tune is changing rapidly. Japan has not come any closer, but it is more accessible, with competitive daily flights to several destinations from many European cities. The value of the yen against Sterling and the Euro means that meals and accommodation as well as activities, souvenirs, and state of the art electronics are now affordable. And the active promotion of the Visit Japan Campaign by the government means that the rich and diverse culture of the country is accessible to visitors as never before. In August 2007 Osaka will be hosting the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championships and Inside Japan is offering special packages for visitors to the event. Kansai International Airport (KIX) is slated to open its second runway at the beginning of August, 2007. Created from land reclaimed from the sea close to Japan’s second city, Osaka, the airport will be one of Japan’s busiest, scheduled to handle 129,000 departures and arrivals during Fiscal Year 2007. Peak season “YOKOSO!” MEANS “WELCOME!” J (July) will see an increase of fifty international flights per week – up to 776 – from the winter of 2006. The airport is 50 kilometres from central Osaka and is easily accessible by bus, train, and taxi. The current low value of the Japanese yen makes Japan an affordable destination for Europeans. The price of a family meal at a mid-range restaurant in Osaka compares very favourably with its European equivalent, as does the cost of hotel accommodation – roughly GBP60 (€88.60) for a single room with bed and breakfast in a three-star central Osaka hotel. Transport – on wickedly clean and efficient trains and subways – is twenty-five percent of the cost of London’s, while the latest model digital camera can be purchased for approximately £85 (€125.50). Comparisons continue in Japan’s favour in every category from souvenirs to museum entry to cable car tickets, and transport and accommodation packages on offer to visitors during the upcoming World Athletics Championships will make a week or two’s visit to Japan even more attractive. In 2002, 5.24 million foreign visitors came to Japan, while 16.5 million Japanese holidayed overseas. The fol- lowing year then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi launched the Visit Japan Campaign to redress the balance, and the past several years have seen a steady growth in the rate of inbound tourism with more than 7 million visitors in 2006. The highest increases were from Finland (18.2%), Portugal (14.7%), and Sweden (9.5%). The United Kingdom provided the highest number of foreign tourists: 216,476 Britons visited Japan last year. A target of 8 million visitors has been set for 2007, and the government is hoping to see 10 million by 2010. Key to achieving these goals is raising European travel agents’ awareness of Japan’s potential as a market. To this end, the Japan National Tourist Organisation will be launching an on-line training programme and a variety of incentives and sales tools aimed at improving travel agents’ knowledge of the country. The JNTO will also provide agents with free Essential Japan guides (created by the publishers of Time Out), and a free guide to organising school trips. Recent film releases, including The Last Samurai, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Lost in Translation have brought Japanese history, culture and tradition before an international audience. Interest in Japan is rising among people who may never have considered a holiday there, and these films provide a good introduction to the country. Traditionally, Japan has been marketed to older visitors with an interest in Japanese culture, religion, and architecture, but new initiatives including Cool Japan – Fusion with Tradition, launched at the 2006 WTM, highlights Japan as a blend of old and 11 July/August 2007 TRAVEL NEWS EUROPE

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Travel News Europe - #75 - July&August 2007

Cover&Contents
NEWS
- INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS & RESORTS INCREASES ITS ITALIAN PRESENCE
- PAFOS APHRODITE FESTIVAL PRESENTS VERDI’S “IL TROVATORE”
- QATAR AIRWAYS LAUNCHES FLIGHTS TO GENEVA
- BRITISH AIRWAYS FAMILY DEAL
DESTINATIONS
- Japan
- Hong Kong
- Thailand
BUSINESS
- Car Hire
- Exhibitions

Travel News Europe - #75 - July&August 2007