Image from the Japan Meteorological Agency showing the epicentre of the quakes
TRAVEL agencies in Asia are seeing no drop in overall demand for Japan in the aftermath of a series of quakes that tore up parts of the southern region of the peninsula last week.
An initial magnitude 6.2 tremor first hit last Thursday evening followed by a magnitude 7.3 quake a day later, devastating infrastructure, attractions and homes in southern Japan.
However, agents are still seeing good business despite the disaster, albeit having to make several cancellations and delays to scheduled trips.
“A tour group of 25 people who were supposed to depart for Kyushu and Honshu on April 21 has decided to delay their trip to another date,” said Cooper Huang, CEO, Malaysian Harmony Tours & Travel.
“We are still selling Kyushu, but we have customised the itinerary so that it does not cover the areas affected by the earthquake.”
Others are similarly taking the tactical approach to continue selling tours to Japan to meet client needs yet avoiding the disaster area in order to ensure safety.
“We have 25 per cent of our customers postponing their trips to Japan. Singapore travellers are more concerned about Kyushu specifically. Demand to other parts of the country remain intact,” said Shannon Hee, marketing and communications manager, ASA Holidays.
“Most of our customers are still willing to travel with alternative itinerary arrangements. As such, we have changed the destination port to Miyazaki.”
Golden Tourworld Travel managing director, Jason Lim, said: “Tours to Kyushu have been put on hold for the time being. However, forward demand for Honshu, Tokyo and Osaka is still strong for the June school holidays in Malaysia.”
As well, Chan Brothers Travel have groups departing daily to Japan throughout April as this is the peak period, with bookings and enquiries remaining consistent. Only demand for Kyushu, which comprise less than 15 per cent of their Japan business, is affected.
Jane Chang, head of marketing communications, Chan Brothers Travel, said: “Our tour group travelling to the Kyushu region yesterday was cancelled for reasons of customer safety and as a precaution.”
She adds that they are continually monitoring the situation with local operators on the ground in order to decide further action.
As the quakes coincided with the sakura season, agents say that business has largely been unaffected.
“This is the peak cherry blossom season and Indonesians continue to travel despite the earthquake. We do not see any cancellations. We have three groups going on Tuesday, one yesterday and four today,” said Rudiana, director of sales and marketing at WITA Tour.
Equally sanguine about business is Putu Ayu Aristyadewi, corporate vice president, marketing and communication at Smailing Tours.
“We have not seen any cancellations. The earthquake this time did not affect tourist attractions travellers go to, and not as disastrous as it was a few years ago,” he said, referring to the March 11, 2011 quake and tsunami in Japan.
Alicia Seah, director of marketing communications at Dynasty Travel paints a similarly positive sentiment: “We currently have 260 travellers in central Japan for the sakura season and Hokkaido for the spring season. We have another 120 travellers leaving for Japan this week and the next as well as another group leaving for Kyushu in early May.”
Additional reporting from Paige Lee Pei Qi and S Puvaneswary
