Japan is closer, quieter, and decidedly cheaper than other snow alternatives, and Aussies are starting to take notice.
While the big leagues of Whistler, Aspen and European snow fields still wear the sash for top snow seasons, options a little closer to home such as New Zealand and Japan are quickly finding their way onto Aussie wishlists.
At the Japan National Tourism Organization’s (JNTO) Snow & Adventure Seminar on Monday, JNTO’s director Maiko Zenki told Travel Weekly the Australian interest in Japan continues to grow.
“Japan continues to be a leading destination for Australian skiers and snowboarders,” she said.
“Japan received more than 13 million international visitors in 2014, and over 302,000 of these were Australians. December 2014 saw the highest number of Australian visitors, up 24% from 2013.”
Zenki told Travel Weekly that with the good exchange rate and close proximity, Japan was fast becoming a key tourism hotspot for Aussies chasing the perfect winter.
The months of December 2014, and January and February 2015 saw the largest number of Aussie tourists, with January 2016 almost at full capacity already.
“Japan is a cost effective travel destination for Australians where they can get more value for their dollar,” Zenki said.
“With only a one hour time difference, two in the winter season, there is hardly any jetlag. Each region has its own culture, its own food and its own attractions to add to the experience.”
“Australians can experience both modern and traditional attractions, from skiing to after-ski activities. We have good connections with Australians, new resorts, and are a good alternative for agents to package for visitors from Australia.”
The consul-general of Japan in Sydney Masato Takaoka also said that Japan had a number of drawcards that other big guns higher up in the northern hemisphere were unable to offer.
“As the number of tourists to Japan continue to rise, the number of Australian visitors does as well, with Australia one of the bigger groups to visit the country,” he explained.
“Skiing, winter and snow are all major attractions for Australian tourists, and for these visitors, Japan is reasonably inexpensive to travel to.”
