JAPAN. Dubai, Macao and Boston are three of the key destinations that will see a surge in Japanese arrivals in 2007, according to a report by the Japanese AB-Road Research Centre, quoted by Travel Journal International (TJI) Online*.
AB-Road said that Dubai – referred to as the “Hawaii of the Middle East” – is undergoing a boom in tourism and the appeal of new properties in a growing destination is expected to ignite interest among Japanese consumers. The inauguration of flights by Emirates from Chubu Airport in Nagoya in June 2006 to complement its services from Kansai Airport will further boost access to the destination from Japan.
Macao, with its growing number of casino resorts, is cited as another destination that will attract Japanese visitors in 2007. Chartered flights to Macao will help expand direct access to the former Portuguese colony.
Boston, long a popular East Coast destination among Japanese visitors, is expected to see a surge in baseball enthusiasts because of the recent signing of Japanese ace pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka by Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox.
Meanwhile, pitcher Kei Igawa of the Hanshin Tigers will join the New York Yankees, a development that will spur more tours to New York and Boston among Japanese consumers, said AB-Road.
*EDITOR’S NOTE The Moodie Report works closely with TJI Online, which is the pre-eminent provider of information on the Japanese travel industry. To subscribe, please click here. It comes with our highest recommendation.
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