TokyoTomo Travel Guide

Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) has taken initiative for member agencies to bring forward joint travel plans in a bid to increase foreign visitors to Japan. The products hit the market on August 6 under the control of JTB Global Marketing and Travel. The scheme was conceived as part of the programs for Visit Japan Year 2010 in line with the intension of JATA Inbound Travel Committee members to offer recommendable tours with safety and security guaranteed. This is the first attempt ever of joint scheme implemented by JATA members.

Under the circumstances in which FIT demand is expected to rise significantly of Chinese nationals with relaxation of individual tourist visa restrictions, Yasunori Kyozu, director of Domestic and Inbound Travel Division at JATA, insists that package tours catering to those growing number of visitors are unarguably deficient. It is considered too risky at the same time, he points out, to operate FIT circular tours visiting Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Okinawa by any single travel agency as it is difficult to collect enough customers on its own to pay off.

As means of sales promotion, JATA has made out multi-lingual web contents to introduce those products. The contents are shown on the JATA website to notify its members of the scheme and, at the same time, are linked with the each site of Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)’s overseas offices. They will also appear on the web magazine of Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) and be featured into Visit Japan programs. With regard to promotion for overseas travel agencies, JATA organizes a presentation on September 17 in Shanghai on the occasion when it holds a meeting of the Inbound Travel Committee there.

Those package tours are basically composed of two types; one is circular trips and the other is free-plan trips. The circular trips include 22 courses to Hokkaido, 15 courses to Kyushu, and 21 courses to Okinawa with each course attended by a licensed official guide. Free-plan trips are six-day tours traveling on bullet trains, departing either from Tokyo or Osaka. The free-plan trips are intended to embrace upcoming FIT travelers from China and other parts of Asia.

Target markets are Chinese-speaking areas such as China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, as well as Europe, America, Australia, and English-speaking countries in Asia. The operation period is set in coordination with the autumn campaign of Visit Japan Year, namely, from October 2010 through March 2011.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.

Junzo Hikita, who assumed office of Charter Coordinator of Outbound Travel Division at Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) on June 7, told the Travel Vision that during the past one and a half months alone he has actually received consultations from travel agencies and local governments on specific charter flight plans. With efforts to further promote charter flight business, Hikita aims to set up an “information page” exclusively for charter flight-related information on the JATA’s website by the end of August and also plans to visit the respective JATA chapters including Tohoku, Chubu, Kyushu and Okinawa for an exchange of opinions about charter business.

The charter information page on the JATA website expects not only to introduce actual charter flight business, be it a success or a failure, but also to introduce various efforts being addressed by airports, local governments and tourism boards. Hikita is of the opinion that if all concerned could share the information objectively, it could help them to collect many facts as a basis for a final decision to operate charter flights. Besides, if the page gives access to information on charter package products currently being sold, with a link to the tourism boards and the travel agencies, it should provide sales opportunities to travel agencies, thus reducing risks, if any, in operating charter flights. The members of Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) will be notified of the planned website concerning its contents.

Meanwhile, there are queries asking how seats left unsold can be disposed or whether some tour modules can be wholesaled, said Hikita, adding that JATA is also considering reviewing whether or not the ITC charter rules should be further deregulated.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.

JATA World Tourism Congress & Travel Fair Organizing Committee is going to hold JATA World Tourism & Travel Fair 2010 from September 24 through 26. This year’s Tourism Congress is themed on “Higher quality – A new era in tourism” in an attempt to find quality levels that most travelers are pleased about and comfortable with. The Travel Fair takes over the last year’s theme under the title of “The dynamism of travel to revitalize the world – Taking a bold step for a better tomorrow.“ JATA, expecting the increasing landing slots provided at the two Tokyo metropolitan airports will give an impetus to the rebound from 2009, appeals to consumers to step out to the world.

At the World Tourism Congress on September 24, Jitsuro Tereashima, honorary chairman of Japan Research Institute, delivers a keynote speech, acting as presenter for a panel discussion. It is followed by presentations on “quality of travel” made by overseas guest speakers and then joined by Japanese panelists for full-swing discussion. On the second day of September 25, the Tourism Congress gives a symposium to deal with the revitalization of local tourism and discuss the relevant issues from viewpoints of inbound and outbound travel.

JATA World Travel Fair, meanwhile, counts almost 700 exhibitors from about 130 countries. At the fair site, there are special zones set up such as: “Meet the World” dedicated to new entrants to the Fair and exhibitors who have no representation in Japan of their government tourist offices, “Travel Street” for tour operators specialized in unique travel, and the new corner “Beaches and Resorts” that introduces attractive ambiences of marine and waterfront resorts and activities thereof. On September 24 when the Travel Fair is set aside exclusively for travel trade, about 100 JATA member agencies are going to attend the fair for individual business session with exhibitors/suppliers. Visitors to the fair are steadily on the increase since 2003 and are expected to reach 116,000 this year, 5,000 more than 2009.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.