JAPAN is wooing Singaporean incentives and encouraging the trade to take their customers into lesser-known cities now that arrival figures have bounced back.
Susan Maria Ong, deputy director of Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Singapore office, said that Singapore outbound traffic to Japan saw a 30 per cent year-on-year rise in 2013, thus pointing to “full confidence restored” in Japan.
JNTO predicts arrivals growth will continue to climb. “Apart from the fact that it is cheaper to travel to Japan now with the depreciation of the yen, Singaporeans are also aware that it is a safe country and are willing to return,” she said.
Ong was speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily at the Japan Endless Discovery Incentive Seminar 2014, the first time the seminar has been held in Singapore since 2010.
This year’s seminar also features lesser-known destinations like Kitakyushu, Nanto, Tokushima Prefecture.
Tory Yamaishi, marketing manager from Matsumoto Tourism & Convention Association, said only about 700 Singaporeans visit this city in Nagano Prefecture every year and this number has been stagnant. He said: “We want to look at attracting repeat visitors especially because they will want to see something new in Japan.”
Hailing the Matsumotojo – one of Japan’s renowned historic castles – as a must-see attraction, Yamaishi said travellers will also be awed by the scenic mountainous view there.
Yoshitaka Nagatomo, senior deputy director of the Kumamoto tourism division, said: “It is not easy to fight with Japan’s big cities so we have to be even more impressive in our marketing.”
Hence, Nagatomo said Kumamoto would work closely with travel consultants by participating in more tradeshows this year.
Megatop Travel Consultants’ travel manager, Yvon Neo, said Hokkaido still ranks as top preferred choice for her travellers but agreed that fresher destinations increasingly held appeal for repeat travellers.
“For first-time visitors, of course they will go for the popular cities but for the seasoned travellers we can consider recommending less popular ones like Matsumoto,” she said.
According to Japan Travel Agency statistics, Japan has already surpassed the pre-earthquake high of 8.6 million arrivals for full-year 2010 with 8.7 million arrivals between January and October 2013 (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 28, 2013).
