RP poised to capture bigger slice of Japan travel mart

TOKYO, Japan — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is confident the country is well positioned to capture a bigger share of Japan’s travel market with a more focused marketing campaign specially targeted at the growing number of outbound Japanese female travelers.

At a recent travel fair here organized by the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano expressed confidence the Philippines is ready to compete head on with other major travel destinations in Asia with the recent shift in branding campaign focusing on a person’s “wellness from the inside out.”

“The recent focus on health and wellness which features hilot as the traditional Filipino healing method using herbs, oils and natural essences, has added a new and exciting dimension to the already established ‘Premium Resort Islands Philippines‘ brand in Japan,” Durano said.

Japan is considered one of the world’s lucrative travel markets with 17.4 million big-spending outbound travelers. By 2010, the Japanese government expects the number of outbound travelers to hit 20 million. In 2006, 17.53 million Japanese went abroad. For this year alone, the number of outbound Japanese travelers is expected to grow to 17.7 million.

Of this, the country aims to attract one million Japanese tourists over the next three years by focusing on three fast-growing markets: the ladies market, the active seniors and the scuba divers.

Durano said the DOT has shifted its campaign for Japanese tourists to cater to the young, single, female group. “In the past, most of the packages were geared towards the Japanese male, but it was a segment that was declining. That is why we decided to shift our focus to the fastest growing segments which are the Japanese ladies and the scuba divers.”

Based on DOT study, Japanese female travelers visiting the country are more inclined to spend on beauty, wellness and pampering.

With this in mind, Team Japan head Benito C. Bengzon Jr. said the DOT has repositioned its campaign to promote the Philippines as an attractive health and wellness destination for the Japanese market.

“Japan is a mature market. It is also a highly competitive market. But the Philippines has a wide range of products that can be offered to the discriminating taste of travelers, particularly the Japanese tourists,” Bengzon explained.

Tourist arrivals from Japan reached the 400,000 mark for the first time in 2005 and climbed to an all-time high of over 420,000 in 2006. For this year, the government expects the number to hit more than 450,000.

Of total tourist arrivals in the Philippines, which hit 2.8 million in 2006, roughtly 21 percent were Koreans, 18 percent were from North America and 15 percent were from Japan.