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.
JTB's Survey: Young People in 20's Lower Priority of Travel Because
of Money, Holiday, Travel Mates
Early-April 2008
About 80 percent of young people in their twenties are found to
have made at lease one leisure trip a year inside Japan, but only 47
percent of the people went on an overseas trip even during the past
three years, according to the market research made by JTB on "travel
trend of people in 20's." The survey was conducted with 500 men and
women in their twenties living in the metropolitan Tokyo, and Nagoya
and Osaka Districts.
Those who take a domestic trip more than once a year represent
53.3 percent, and 68 percent of the surveyed replied they have a plan
for a domestic trip this year. The reason they give for going out on
a domestic trip is that they can make a trip in a relaxed manner,
citing that: (1) it is short in duration and economically affordable,
(2) they can choose anything they like for a subject of interest from
wide options like nature, theme parks, hot springs, and beaches, and
(3) safety and security are ensured wherever they go, not to mention
a relief from language problems.
Meanwhile, 28.2 percent of the surveyed has never experienced an
overseas trip and another 24.8 percent has not gone abroad for the
past three years. The reasons given for not making a trip, whether it
be domestic or overseas, are money shortage, constraint in taking
days-off, and difficulty of arranging a schedule with travel
companions.
In case of overseas travel, in addition to the above, they
enumerate several other reasons such as language problems (25.8% of
the respondents), anxiety about possible troubles they might
encounter while traveling (18.7%), worry over poor security and
infectious diseases (17.3%), and concern over food safety and
sanitation (13.2%).
To the question of what they most want to spend on if they have
as much as 300,000 yen as disposable money, overseas travel came to
the top supported by 20.4 percent of the respondents, followed by
saving (17.3%), and domestic travel (12.5%). This means that their
interest in overseas travel has waned in no way.
It seems, however, that there is a growing number of conflicting
items for spending money on such as mobile phone and personal
computer while their income level stays low; in fact, 38.2 percent of
them has priority items over domestic travel while 26.4 percent has
priority items over overseas travel.
Narita Airport Capable of Handling 300,000 Aircraft Movements
Annually, Representing 50% Capacity Increase Overcoming Various
Issues Including Environment, Facilities and Operations
Early-April 2008
Tokyo Narita International Airport (NAA) gave an explanation on
March 25 to "Narita International Airport City Development Council"
consisting of the neighboring local governments that NAA should
become capable of handling up to 300,000 aircraft take-offs and
landings annually, which is a 50% increase compared to the current
aircraft movements at Narita.
It should be feasible without any changes to the length of the
two runways and to the airport hours of operation, provided that the
pending issues related to the airport and operational facilities
shall be worked out and the noise abatement measures shall also be
properly taken. NAA also stressed that its competitiveness has
weakened when compared with large-scale airport expansions in Asian
countries.
NAA, however, underlined, "While it is important to respond to
the growing demand of the Metropolitan area, yet it is most important
for NAA to first win the understanding of the local community."
Narita International Airport aims to address its largest possible
expansion after communication is well established with the local
residents.
NAA further explained to the Council that the increase of
aircraft movements largely depends on the number of hourly available
aircraft slots and airport hours of operation, and not the length of
runways.
To this effect, the 4000m runway A , when its operational
restrictions are lifted, will be able to handle yearly up to
approximately 150,000 take-offs and landings compared to the current
135,000. The 2500m runway B will equally be able to handle up to
approximately 150,000 take-offs and landings yearly with an increase
from the current 65,000 without extending the runway length, provided
the taxiways are improved.
A pending issue that Narita International Airport faces is an
expansion of the taxiways, aircraft parking spots and terminal
buildings. Other issues include the air space and its air traffic
control, the understanding of the local citizens, noise abatement and
environmental protection. The expansion of the taxiways will be
basically a NAA-led project. A request to the national government
such as a readjustment of the airspace does need, however,
cooperation of the local government bodies.
On the other-hand, the local government bodies pointed out that
the benefits for the local community are not transparent, arguing,
"We fail to understand what benefits the increase of aircraft
take-off and landing at Narita would bring to the local citizens."
Reflecting various local opinions, Kazunari Koizumi, Mayor of
Narita City, mentioned, "The City Development Council will
investigate feasible effects derived from the expansion of take-off
and landing slots besides an increase of local population and local
traffic flow." For the future, The Council will establish a
fundamental strategy in May this year and by March 2009, it will
launch a basic plan for the development of Narita International
Airport City.
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