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Hawaii travel is returning"Hawaii travel" Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
5/1/2002 TOKYO -- The healing power of time, plus some really good deals, are encouraging Japanese tourists to return to the sun, fun and beauty of the Hawaii travel islands. But the continued weakness of the Japanese economy and a boom in travel to South Korea and other Asian destinations make it unlikely that Hawaii travel will see a surge in tourism from Japan any time soon. After plummeting in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, visitor numbers from Japan began inching back up in late 2001 with the aid of rock-bottom rates on package tours and airline tickets for Hawaii travel. "Japanese travel agencies agree that the Hawaii-bound travel market hit bottom in November," says Toshiko Kato of the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), an industry organization. In order to restore confidence among agents after Sept. 11, JATA sent 1,000 travel industry professionals from around Japan to Hawaii in December for a three-day visit. Challenges remain, however, for Hawaii travel itself. "It's been said now for some years that the Hawaiian market is being overtaken by places like South Korea and resort destinations (in Asia). It's going to become increasingly necessary for Hawaii travel to find new ways to appeal to tourists," Kato says. Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
In 2001, some 1.5 million Japanese traveled to Hawaii, down 17 percent from the previous year. The slide accelerated after the terrorist strikes. In September, for instance, the number of Japanese visitors dropped by 44 percent from the same month the previous year, according to Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. In October and November the declines deepened to 54 percent and 59 percent, respectively. The figure recovered to minus 32 percent in December and reached minus 29 percent in January. JTB Corp., Japan's leading travel agency, says Hawaii travel business picked up noticeably in February. "Nationwide, departures and planned departures in February topped 100 percent" compared to last year, says spokeswoman None Kamiwatari. To help lure people back to Hawaii, JTB in November unveiled a five-day package tour to Honolulu for 49,800 yen (about $372 as of this writing), or about 25 percent less than the lowest-priced tours JTB previously offered. The campaign finished at the end of January. The bargain tour "was one factor behind the gradual improvement," Kamiwatari says. "But looking at the current situation, the number of people going to Hawaii has recovered to last year's level. It's not just that we released the 49,800-yen tour. Travelers are starting to come back in general." Yoko Murano is an agent with Keio Travel Agency Co. The office she works in is inside a busy Tokyo train station and is a magnet for shoppers and commuters. Murano says that while demand for Hawaii travel vacations has held up well compared with the continental United States ("There's hardly any interest"), destinations closer to home, such as Seoul are most popular. "Europe's also picking up," she says. South Korea has been the No. 1 choice for Japanese going abroad for the past several years, with some 2.4 million people visiting in 2000. China is a close second. Tourists and business travelers journey to both destinations. Among young adults, women in particular, Vietnam is currently a hot travel spot. For vacationers looking for a holiday by the sea, one top pick is Bali in Indonesia. "Up until recently, Asian resorts were able to offer only the most basic services, but they are gradually becoming more sophisticated," says Kato at JATA. "From the perspective of price and distance, they are also competitive. Meanwhile, there are a growing number of travelers who don't want to be around a lot of other Japanese" when they go abroad, she says. Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
As Japan's economy continues to sputter, wouldbe travelers are becoming more budget-conscious - a factor that's spurring interest in Asia, which is still relatively cheap. The yen's slide against the dollar will likely strengthen this trend by making Hawaii travel and the rest of the U.S. more expensive for Japanese tourists. Such negatives aside, travel professionals here say that Hawaii travel has a singular place in the hearts of the Japanese people. For weddings, family vacations and other special events, the Islands still hold plenty of magic..... Compare airline tickets for Hawaii travel here /cheap airfares home |