JTB: Marianas to receive 43,500 Japanese on Golden Week

Some 43,500 Japanese tourists are expected to visit the Marianas on Golden Week, according to a top tourism management agency in Japan.

A JTB Corp. survey showed that the number of Japanese traveling to Saipan and Guam from April 26 to May 6, 2006 represents 7.7 percent of the 565,000 projected Golden Week travelers.

Golden Week is a weeklong series of national holidays in Japan. Included are Boys’ Day, Children’s Day, and Constitution Memorial Day, among others.

No separate figures were provided for Saipan and Guam.

According to JTB, the projected number of Marianas visitors would increase by 7.4 percent, compared with the same period last year.

“Closer destinations to which trips are possible within the five-day holiday sequence of this year’s Golden Week are very popular. The popularity of resorts such as Guam and Saipan has recovered (up 7.4 percent) and Asian resorts are also doing well,” JTB noted.

Asian destinations that are expected to receive an increased number of Golden Week travelers include Korea with 76,000; China with 75,000; Hong Kong with 23,500; Taiwan with 38,000; Thailand with 29,000; Singapore with 12,000; and Malaysia with 5,000.

Travelers to Hawaii are estimated to total 48,000, while the U.S. mainland and Canada will welcome 45,500 and 11,000 visitors respectively.

About 83,000 Japanese will travel to Europe while another 29,000 will tour Australia, New Zealand, and the Southern Pacific.

Other destinations, such as Africa, the Middle East and South America, are expected to receive 9,500 Japanese visitors.

Traveler spending is projected to average 250,500 yen ($2,123), down 1.1 percent compared with last year. JTB attributed this to the traveler preference for nearer destinations.

“The influence of lower exchange rates for the yen is inflating the average cost of travel to Hawaii, Guam and Saipan, Asia and America.

However, the higher share occupied by travel to nearer destinations has actually reduced the average expenditure per person, which is down 1.1 percent compared with last year,” JTB noted.

JTB’s projections were based on a questionnaire survey of 2,400 Japanese respondents intending to spend at least one night away from home from April 26 to May 6, 2006, bookings with JTB, airline reservations, and travel industry trends.

The survey was conducted in 200 locations throughout Japan between March 2 through 13, 2006.