Japan tourist arrivals fall 29%
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A combination of a strong yen and the A(H1N1) flu scare have contributed to a 29% drop in tourist arrivals to Japan, a statement from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has revealed.The number of tourists in the first six months of 2009 fell to just 3.1 million, the JNTO said, led by a 49% drop in arrivals from South Korea - a key source market. The first half decline will come as a setback to Japanese government’s plans to attract 10 million visitors next year, and 20 million in 2020. The country welcomed 8.3 million tourists in 2007.”The strong yen gave tourists the impression that travelling to Japan is expensive,” the JNTO statement read. “Asian tourists cancelled their visits after media reports of the swine flu outbreak in Japan in mid-May.”The yen has gained 33% against the Korean won in the past year, boosting Korean inbound tourist but hindering Japanese growth. Tokyo and Osaka were recently found to be the most expensive cities in the world to live.
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