Japan is going through difficult times in regard to tourism, if a few days ago its flag carrier JAL, Japan Airlines, filed for bankruptcy, today they have released the statistics in the country of the rising sun is revealed who has suffered the biggest drop in tourists from the last forty years, something truly surprising.
This drop was caused mainly by lower global demand, a stronger yen and the fear of media influenza A. And because of this, Japan saw down by nearly 19% the number of foreign tourists arriving, with more than a million and a half less than in the past 2008.
According to a Japanese tourist expert: “We believe that Japan has great tourism potential, but by 2009 the yen experienced a significant increase, which made trips to Japan were more costly and people opt for visiting other places more affordable.”
The sharpest drop in living memory occurred in 1971 when the arrival of foreign visitors fell by no less than 22.7%, but was gradually recovering and attract tourists again shortly thereafter, with the boom in technology over the eighties and nineties, but now it seems that the tables have changed again.
And do not leave because the popular Argentina Iguazu Falls have been finalists in the competition for the new seven natural wonders of the world organized by the Swiss foundation N7W, New 7 Wonders, which has been met with wide acceptance by the Argentine people and the Brazilian.
Will be conducted as a campaign called “Vote Falls” and shall include the dissemination of images of several personalities from both countries among which are the ex-footballer Gabriel Batistuta or speaker Lalo Mir among others and in turn the National Tourism Promotion Institute will conduct various activities in all tourist fairs in which it participates.
The Federal Tourism Council, composed of various tourism authorities of all provinces, gave his unconditional support for the campaign, which means that at the provincial hall, tourism and various events will find jobs with computers so that everyone can cast your vote.
Falls should be noted that Argentina is the only destination that has been a finalist in this contest in your home where there were no fewer than 224 countries, with roughly about 430 nominations and to see who will be part of these new natural wonders of the world will have to wait until next year 2011.
According to the International Travel Survey, between January and November last year arrived in the country, just at Ezeiza airport by 1,803,060 foreign tourists, which left a number close to 2,300 million in the country.
According to statements by Debora Giorgi, Minister of Industry and Tourism: “Tourism is the fifth activity of foreign exchange, up from traditional sectors such as chemicals or meat. Hence the importance of active international presence at this fair “and also highlighted” the significant increase in foreign tourism that has been Argentina, which ranks as the second tourist destination in South America behind Brazil.
According to these statistics, the main source of foreign tourists during the past 2009 was Europe with 27.8% between January and November, followed by Brazil with 25.2%, 18.9% for the rest of Latin America, 14% of United States and Canada and 8.1% of Chile and other countries.
The average stay was about 13.6 days at a cost of approximately $ 103.5 per person and about what was the arrival of cruise ships to the port of Buenos Aires in the summer season is estimated that this year arriving some 146 ships that will bring the country to about 280,000 passengers and is expected to increase this year by 20% the number of international conferences, making Argentina the first Latin American destination