Campaign emphasizes affordability

By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer

About 1.3 million visitors came to Hawai'i from Japan last year, but only about 30,000 Hawai'i residents visit Japan annually. The Japanese government is seeking to correct that imbalance with a new advertising campaign.

Consul General Masatoshi Muto spoke about "Yokoso! Japan" ("Welcome to Japan"), a new advertising campaign to increase the number of visitors from Hawai'i, at the Consulate General of Japan in Nu'uanu yesterday. Andrew Shimabuku • The Honolulu Advertiser

Ito said he wants to "show how affordable our country can be."

Japan's consul general, Masatoshi Muto, who is helping with the campaign in Hawai'i, emphasized that flights to Japan from Hawai'i can cost as little as $500 and lodging can be found for $50 to $60 a night. An inexpensive lunch such as tempura on rice can be found for a few dollars at a fast-food restaurant in Japan, he said.

Ito said about 300,000 Hawai'i residents go to Las Vegas annually. But they might find it just as affordable to vacation in Japan, Muto said. Although it may cost more to fly to Japan, Vegas-goers are spending hundreds on gambling "and losing it," he said.

Muto said his goal is to double the number of visitors from Hawai'i to Japan within the next few years, to about 60,000 travelers annually.

That coincides with the campaign goal to nearly double the number of visitors to Japan to 10 million annually by 2010, to even out the current imbalance. About 13.29 million Japanese traveled abroad last year.

The Visit Japan effort started in April 2003 and the campaign has a $28 million budget this year. About 10 percent of the money goes toward promoting Japan in the United States, where local firm Starr Seigle is handling advertising.

The motivation for Japan: "We have to revitalize our economy," Ito said. And, if more Americans travel to Japan, "We could enhance the relationship of the two countries."

Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at kyamanouchi@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2470.