JTB says Marianas to get 182K tourists this summer

Saipan and Guam will receive a combined 182,000 Japanese tourists during this year’s summer season, according to a top travel management agency in Japan.

JTB Corp. projected that there would be 2.49 million Japanese people traveling outside their country between July 15 and Aug. 31, 2005. About 7.3 percent of these tourists are expected to visit Saipan and Guam.

The Japanese tourism agency did not provide separate forecasts for the two destinations.

JTB’s combined projection of 182,000 travelers for Saipan and Guam represents an increase of 4 percent as compared to the estimated number of Japanese that entered both islands in the summer of 2004.

The figure for last year was based on announcements made by different national governments and tourism authorities, as well as Japanese authority statistics.

According to JTB, destinations such as Hawaii and Guam are popular with families, who constitute 40 percent of the summer season travel demand.

“Also popular with families are the growing number of local optional tours that provide an unusual or specific experience. This summer has also seen popularity boosted by the various travel companies who have provided special deals for children,” JTB said.

JTB’s survey of summer travel trends was conducted from June 4 through 13, 2005 at 200 locations throughout Japan.

The survey covers trips by Japanese travelers who plan to spend more than one night away from home. It is based on a questionnaire and interviews with 2,200 people, actual bookings with JTB, airline reservations, and estimates of industry trends.

JTB estimated that Japanese travelers visiting Asian destinations would total 1.256 million this summer, a 2.6 percent decline as compared with last summer.

Of those visiting Asia, 350,000 are expected to travel to Korea; 271,000 to China; 134,000 to Taiwan; 106,000 to Thailand; 98,000 to Hong Kong; and 87,000 to Indonesia.

“Although desire to travel remains strong, the numbers going to China have dropped sharply (down 19.8 percent on the year before), in contrast with those gong to Taiwan (up 22.9 percent),” JTB observed. “For Asian resorts devastated by the tsunami in December last year, the tourism market is only slowly recovering, and bookings for package tours to Phuket and other resort destinations are slow. Among bring spots is the growing popularity of Bali for weddings.”

The number of tourists going to Hawaii is expected to reach 222,000. Europe is projected to receive 354,000 travelers; the mainland United States 228,000; and Canada 56,000.

It is estimated that Australia would welcome 91,000; New Zealand 21,000; and South Pacific 14,000 Japanese tourists.

Some 57,000 Japanese are projected to travel to other destinations such as Africa, the Middle East, and South America.