Japan Travel Trade Weekly News
Keeping you abreast of what's going on in the
Japanese travel and tourism industries.
News consolidated by Travel Vision, Inc. updated every week.
JATA and HTA Agree on Demand Creation to Hawaii, Aiming at More Than
1.5 Million Visitor Arrivals in Year 2011
February 2008
Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and Hawaii Tourism
Authority (HTA) set up Japan Hawaii Tourism Promotion Council and
signed a memorandum about the future promotional activities. The
Council consists of travel-related people of Japan and Hawaii and
works for the marketing and promotion purposes in a bid to boost
demand of Japanese travelers to Hawaii.
The target number of visitor arrivals is set for 1.280,000 for
2008, 1,330,000 for 2009, 1,430,000 for 2010, and 1,544,000 for 2011.
The Council will endeavor to extend the average length of their stay
to 6.6 days from the current 5.57 days and to increase per capita
consumption to $310 from $270, both of which HTA is highly concerned
with.
Koji Shinmachi, chairman of JATA, says, "We saw a decline of
approximately one million visitors from the peak of 2.2 million. It
has been quite some time since Japan and the State of Hawaii ceased
to have sessions for exchange of views. Now we should move forward to
the expansion of tourism again." He is resolved that JATA should
never fail in this project as Hawaii is a crucial destination in
boosting total demand and creating a favorable atmosphere across the
industry for the success of the Visit World Campaign.
Lex Johnson, president and chief executive officer of HTA, said,
"There are a number of events held under the sponsorship of Japanese
firms, like Honolulu Marathon and Sony Open. It is important the
leaders of Hawaiian and Japanese travel industries meet and have
discussion twice a year. We should never be satisfied with the status
quo but work for the market expansion." He is hopeful of stimulating
the market with the Council's initiative both in business and leisure
travel.
NTA Markets New Products with Installation of New System, Aiming to
Increase Customers by 8% on Package Tour Wholesale for First Half
2008
February 2008
Nippon Travel Agency (NTA) sets a target of 192,000 customers, up
8 percent from last year, to be handled during the first half of 2008
on Mach and Best Tour.
The number of customers in 2007 is estimated at 426,000, down 17
percent, under the influence of unfavorable market factors like short
supply of air seats caused by airlines' route realignment and
downsizing of aircrafts, plus hikes of oil surcharge.
Now NTA, with the start-up of a new data network system for
overseas travel operation, is going to market new products and is
ready to respond to the diversified and specific requirements of
customers, making the full use of its functions. The new system is
expected to contribute a great deal in heightening sales potentiality
by providing consulting capability and swift replies.
Masaaki Hotta, director and general manager for Overseas Travel
Division at NTA, says, "About 70 percent of the consumers who buy our
travel products make request for changes in one way or another. Their
requirements are so specific that they are not content with our
ordinary proposals. The new system offers tours in a flexible way so
that it can accommodate their requests." He hopes it will become an
effective tool for creating travel demand.
"My Recipe," a new travel product, is a sort of module tour that
allows consumers to make a choice with hotels, sightseeing,
activities, and meals. In the test marketing of Guam-bound My Recipe
conducted last year, the number of tour patterns, after different
combination of flight, hotel, and activity, totaled 5,200 while the
existing one numbered only 108. Up to now, hotel designation was
limited to a category, not a specific one; however, in the new
product, people can select a specific hotel.
My Recipe is bound for Europe, Hawaii, Guam, Shanghai, Seoul, and
Bali as destinations and will be put on sale from the middle of
February one after another. The sales goal of this tour is set for
600 million yen with 6,000 customers for the initial year.
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