THE Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) is promoting Hokkaido and Kyushu to the Philippines as winter and pilgrimage destinations respectively.
Leading a mission of 26 sellers to meet outbound operators at a Visit Japan Travel Seminar yesterday, Kazuhiro Ito, executive director, JNTO Bangkok, told TTG Asia e-Daily that while Filipinos are familiar with Tokyo and Osaka, promoting Hokkaido and Kyushu widens the options available for cherry blossom viewing, the main draw for this market.
Aurora Guevarra, sales officer, Discovery Tour, says Hokkaido is popular in winter and typical packages average 4D5N for families, while the lavender season in Furano brings visitors in June and July.
Aldwin Jason Lim, sales and marketing officer, H.I.S. (Philippines) Travel Corp, said his company promotes Hokkaido but added that more flight connections are needed to link to the destination.
Kyushu is positioning itself as a pilgrimage destination, with 130 churches around Nagasaki prefecture, including the site of St. Lorenzo Ruiz’s martyrdom. Less renowned among Filipinos, it is more accessible via Philippine Airlines’s Manila-Fukuoka flight.
Nina Fernandez, outbound tours supervisor for Friendship Tours, recommended Japan partners pilgrimage tours specialist Catholic Travel, as “Nagasaki would be a special experience for Filipino Catholics”.
This renewed push comes following a relaxation in visa requirements on September 30 this year. Filipinos deemed financially capable, who have been to Japan within the past three years or a non-Japan G7 country, will be issued a multiple-entry visa valid for five years for stays of either 15 or 30 days each time.
Philippine arrivals to Japan rose 34.8 per cent and 27.4 per cent in 2012 and 2013 respectively, and are expected to reach up to 80 per cent growth year-on-year for January to October 2014.
