JAPAN. Outbound Japanese travel is set for a strong finish to the year and continued momentum in early 2012, according to Travel Journal International (TJI) Online.
The encouraging pattern reflects continued recovery from the 3/11 disasters, TJI said.
Leading travel agency JTB estimated that the number of Japanese travellers heading overseas in the year-end/New Year holiday season (23 December to 3 January) will climb some +4.7% from a year ago to 596,000.
JTB said that domestic travel will edge ahead by +1.4% to 29,488,000, bringing the total number of travellers (domestic and overseas combined) to 30,084,000, up +1.5%.
“The tally will surpass the 30 million mark for the first time in five years,” TJI said.
JTB concluded that nearby destinations in Asia will lead the holiday season demand. The number of customers heading for Asian countries will rise +6.4% to 366,000, with 111,000 bound for South Korea. China is next with 88,000, up +12.82%. Europe will see a +2.86% rise to 72,000, despite increased fuel surcharges, while Hawaii will see a double-digit surge of +10.64% to 52,000 – good news for DFS.
The upcoming holiday season phasing is not favourable due to shorter consecutive holidays, making it less convenient for long-haul trips, TJI pointed out. However, consumers can take advantage of two longer weekends, 23-25 December and 7-9 January, in planning a tour itinerary, said JTB.
KOREAN BOOM AT H.I.S.
Buoyed by a +40% rise in bookings for South Korea, demand for travel during the season will climb some +14.1% year-on-year at another leading travel agency, H.I.S.
Seoul ranks as the top city destination as well as the number one destination overall in the survey conducted by H.I.S., based on reservations.
It said that solid bookings are seen for Guam and Saipan, both boasting double-digit gains, thanks to an increase in charter flights during the period. Additional charter flights bound for Asia from Haneda and Narita airports have also helped spur bookings, which were already benefiting from the strong Japanese Yen.
Among beach destinations, Honolulu ranks top, followed by Guam, Bali, Saipan and Cebu Island, while the most popular city destinations after Seoul are Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore.
H.I.S. said that Singapore jumped from 10th in the rankings from a year ago to fifth, partly fuelled by great interest in the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, one of two integrated resorts in Singapore.
TAIWAN, MALAYSIA DEMAND BUOYANT
Online travel agency Rakuten Travel said that overseas booking activities are ahead +30.2%, anchored by buoyant demand for Asian destinations such as Malaysia and Taiwan.
Holiday season bookings for Malaysia rose some +92.9% year-on-year while those for Taiwan jumped +91.3%.
Booking activities for the US surged +78.2% year on year. “Due probably to the financial instability in Europe caused by the Greek crisis, consumers tend to prefer North America among long-haul destinations to Europe,” TJI noted.
Tour demand for Thailand, a popular overseas destination for years, has dropped substantially from a year earlier because of the recent floods.
