4.2% more Japanese arrivals predicted
By Masumi Suga
Bloomberg News
TOKYO — The number of Japanese arriving in Hawai'i will probably increase 4.2 percent during the country's July-August peak travel season, helped by increased consumer confidence, according to a survey from JTB Corp.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
The number of overseas travelers probably will reach 2.5 million between July 15 and Aug. 31, up 0.4 percent from last year, Japan's biggest travel agency said. Domestic travelers with at least one overnight stay at their destination may increase 1.3 percent to 73.4 million — bringing the total number of travelers to 75.9 million.
From July 15 to Aug. 31, you can expect to see considerably more Japanese tourists on Kalakaua Avenue and in the rest of Waikiki.
More Japanese are planning domestic and international travel during this year's summer holiday period, as the nation's economic growth and higher wages encourage them to spend more on travel. The 2005 Exposition being held in Aichi prefecture also has whetted demand for domestic travel, JTB said.
Total spending on travel during the period from mid-July to the end of August probably will rise 2.2 percent to $27.9 billion, JTB said. Spending on overseas travel will probably be 2 percent higher than the previous year. Domestic travel spending is likely to gain 2.3 percent.
JTB forecast the number of travelers to China will decline 20 percent to 271,000, as anti-Japanese rallies in April have made Japanese wary about travel to the country. Overall travel to Asia may fall 2.6 percent during the holiday period, while travel to Taiwan, an alternative destination to China, may increase 23 percent to 134,000.
The number of people traveling from Japan to North America will probably grow 4.7 percent to 697,000, of which travel to Hawai'i may increase to 222,000 during the holiday period. The number of people traveling to Europe may increase 4.7 percent to 126,000, JTB said.
