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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, October 16, 2001

Tourism Talk
Japan's important, but Mainlanders aren't second-class citizens

By Michele Kayal
Advertiser Staff Writer

It can't hurt to have the prime minister of Japan on your side.

When Junichiro Koizumi embraced the Hawai'i delegation touring Japan last week and openly professed his love for the Aloha State, it made a beautiful postcard for the struggling tourism industry.

But love, it's been said, is seldom enough. Timing, alas, may undo these star-crossed lovers.

Gov. Cayetano and his entourage gamely began their journey the day the United States began its bombing campaign in Afghanistan. Their show of courage was warmly received and widely covered by the media.

But despite their sincere efforts, smiles and handshakes may have a tough time beating the scary reality of bombs raining on Afghanistan, anthrax creeping through the postal system, and Osama bin Laden's warning against air travel. Add dengue fever to the mix, and you've got a real problem.

In Japan, the population may be particularly sensitive to these things. People in Japan place a premium on security and predictability, which have suddenly been exposed as myths in the United States. Already one company has canceled a flashy Waikiki trip for 5,000 employees in March.

Responsibility is also an important cultural value, and a tour manager who could be forced to bear the consequences of a group that is hurt or stranded may really wish to send them elsewhere, somewhere perceived to be less fraught with the potential for trouble.

Add to that a bad economy made worse by the recent events, and Hawai'i — or any U.S. destination — has a tough sell on its hands.

Approaching Japan personally and through advertising is certainly the right thing. As the governor said, better to go talk than to stay home "sucking your thumbs."

But contingency plans must be made.

It's true that Japanese visitors spend way more than Mainland visitors — per day. But they don't tend to stay very many days. This makes them a favorite of retailers, who like to get fresh eyes and eager wallets into stores every few days. But they're less coveted by hotels, who don't want to turn over rooms more often than they have to.

As a group, Japanese visitors rank third in annual spending, following Mainlanders from the West and from the East.

Mainlanders are also worth the effort.

Although the tragedies that shook the world's spirit and its economy took place on the Mainland, that market seems to be recovering better than others.

Domestic airline passengers were down about 15 percent to 25 percent last weekend, compared to a 40 percent decline in international arrivals. A couple from San Francisco visiting Moloka'i last weekend said many of their friends who had planned trendy vacations in Europe have been asking them about Hawai'i, feeling that it will be more welcoming, safer, more comfortable.

Even though this group seems to be more resilient than their Asian counterparts, they should not be taken for granted. Hawai'i made that mistake in the early '90s.

So far, Hawai'i's marketers have been attentive to Mainland travelers, launching public relations campaigns early and sending salespeople on the road there.

But that attention has to be clear, pronounced and kept up — even after those visitors arrive. Mainland visitors, as well as Japanese, should be treated as the special envoys that they are. A warm welcome is never forgotten, no matter where your plane is coming from.

Michele Kayal can be reached at mkayal@honoluluadvertiser.com