Japanese fall-off is no easy fix

The decline in Japanese visitors to New Zealand is unlikely to recover this year but the tourism industry is hoping a new plan will stop the fall.

Statistics New Zealand said yesterday the number of "highly-valued" Japanese visitors fell to 7488 in June from 9538 last year - a drop of 21.5 per cent. Japanese visitors for the June quarter were down 24.1 per cent at 24,318, while for the year they were down 10.8 per cent at 145,497.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said that highly-valued market had suffered from the exchange rate, the growth in alternative destinations and a perception of increased global safety - previously a selling point of New Zealand.

"We do not see the Japan market improving in the next 12 months but we hope the focus [on Japan] of airlines, travel industry and ourselves will help stop further decline," Hickton said.

Tourism industry leaders had met recently to address the continued decline and had agreed on a plan including targeting baby boomers and the older so-called "silver market".

Total visitor numbers in June were down 11.2 per on last year at 139,891.

Most of the decrease was attributed to the drop in tourists from the United Kingdom and Ireland compared with last winter when the Lions tour boosted numbers. UK visitor numbers were down 60.7 per cent at 9846 while Irish tourists dropped 53.5 per cent to 1494.

While the Lions tour was not a regular occurrence, Hickton said the word of mouth created by visitors during the series would have a positive ongoing influence.

Meanwhile, lower growth out of Australia - where visitor numbers were down 1.4 per cent for June but up 5.5 per cent for the quarter at 193,871 - was also being addressed with Tourism NZ due to start a marketing campaign in August.

"There are a million visits by New Zealanders to Australia every year," Hickton said. "We would like Australians to start seeing our country as a place they can visit easily and more regularly."