According to the Global Travel & Tourism Summit, the recovery of Japan could easily be dependent on the traveler.
According to David Scowsill, CEO & President, WTTC, who was quoted in a release, "Our research suggests that the speed of Japan's recovery will depend on a number of factors, including the extent of the damage and political support to build infrastructure and promote Travel & Tourism, but the most crucial factor will be the perceptions left on the traveling public by the disaster." He continues, "If tourists realize that Japan is open for business, helped by clear and reassuring policy announcements, and if the Japanese people themselves resume international travel, demand could recover within a year, according to our forecasts."
Japan is the fit largest origin market in the world for long-haul travel. According to reports released at the Summit, the research conducted on the Japan situation looked into the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, hurricanes in Central America and the Caribbean, the Asian tsunami, the Kobe earthquake and terrorist attacks. It was determined that the average duration of an impact is between eight and 26 months.
The key, however, is letting your clients know that Japan is in fact open for business. This will be crucial to Japan's recover. Tourism was estimated to account for 2.2 percent of the GDP in 2011 and to directly provide 1.5 million jobs.
Visit www.wttc.org.