JAPAN. The number of outbound Japanese travellers in January 2007 was the second highest ever for the month, at 1.413,000, said the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO).
The number was only surpassed by the 2005 figure, which was 1,453,740. The January 2007 figure was up +5.17% on last year.
JNTO said the increase marked a turnaround from several months of low or negative growth between September and December 2006.
One of the factors contributing the higher count was the number of consecutive holidays consumers could take by combining national holidays with time-off from work in the early part of January.
JNTO also said that growth could have been higher but the stronger exchange rate of global currencies such as the Euro, pound sterling and the Chinese yuan against the Japanese yen made travel appear more expensive in the eyes of consumers. It added that the year-end bombings in Thailand could have offset travel demand in January.
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