While every other European nation has seen travel and travelers from Japan drop precipitously over these last 3 years his country has seen a 300% increase in travelers from Japan! Yes. Yes. Thank you for your kind applause. Thank you. Thank you.
... That is until the March 11, 2011 disaster struck.
After that catastrophe, business across the board in Japan has dropped off a cliff for most sectors of the market and travel is one of the hardest hit.
He related to me many of his worries and travails concerning Japan and the travel market.
Somethings he told me that really surprised me were that:
*After the March 11, 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident in Japan, and some European nations citizens left Japan, many government tourism agencies have moved their offices permanently out of Japan and into China.
* Many European nations have slashed their promotional budgets for Japan. In his case, his advertising budget for Japan was cut by 70%!
Annual ANTOR Japan event: Let's Go Kaigai!
*ANTOR Japan member countries have an annual summer promotion. Every year they have over 35 nations participate in this big promotion in Tokyo. This year they will have only 12 countries participating.
*The European Union Tourism Organization has cut the advertising budget for Japan to.... Are you ready for it?.. To zero. ZERO! Zip. Nada. Nothing! They have completely given up on Japan and will not spend any more money on promotion on this country. They have redirected all the budget to China!
Sigh....
Most definitely a long hot summer coming for Japan. When will the tourism industry (all industry) recover in this country?
2 comments:
I've had several emails from friends overseas recently to the effect of "maybe I should visit Japan. I'm sure I could get cheap tickets, ha ha ha".
The underlying assumption is of course one would have to be insane to come here. Of course. But in addition to the ongoing problems at Fukushima, there is the coming energy shortage this summer.
And then there's the background irritation that Japan is doing pictures and prints for all foreigners on entry, no doubt sharing this data with its colonial masters in DC. China doesn't, of course.
To be honest, if I didn't live here, I wouldn't want to come either.
re: "When will the tourism industry (all industry) recover in this country?"
After the coming WWIII. It isn't just Japan that is in a desperate state.
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