TOKYO, 2012-10-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and Brand USA has announced the launch of the Japan-U.S. Tourism Exchange Year. The nationwide one-year initiative runs from September 2012 through August 2013 to jointly stimulate tourism between the two countries. The goal of the Japan to U.S. effort is to generate 3.75 million inbound travelers from Japan to the United States by the year 2016.
The announcement was made by Brand USA’s Chief Business Development Officer Paul Cerula and JATA Vice Chairman Hiromi Tagawa during a signing ceremony in Tokyo at the JATA Tourism Forum & Travel Showcase 2012, Japan’s leading travel fair.
The Japan-U.S. Tourism Exchange Year includes seven key activity initiatives:
1. Generate awareness for the “Japan-U.S. Tourism Exchange Year” among Japanese travel trade and consumers.
2. Launch educational programs targeting Japanese tour operators to boost the number of U.S. fans within the Japanese trade.
3. Launch business-to-business promotions to encourage Japanese travel wholesalers to create new U.S. travel tour packages.
4. Stimulate travel demand between “sister cities” in Japan and the United States.
5. Develop promotions to support the launch of newly launched flights between Japan and the United States.
6. Boost the number of Japanese and U.S. participants and exhibitors in the JATA Tourism Forum & Travel Showcase (JATA) in Japan and International Pow Wow (IPW) in the United States.
7. Continuously enhance relationships between the Japanese and U.S. travel industry via regular high-level meetings.
“On behalf of JATA, I am very pleased to announce the signing of Japan- U.S. Tourism Exchange Year with Brand USA,” said JATA Vice Chairman Hiromi Tagawa. “Japan considers the United States to be an important destination for Japanese outbound travelers. We hope the number of travelers to the U.S. will increase with various tourism exchanges made through this initiative.”
In 2011, 3.25 million travelers from Japan visited the United States and spent $14.8 billion, making Japan the #2 and #1 largest overseas visitation and spending market, respectively, for the United States. (Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Association, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries; May 2012 report).
As part of the Japan-U.S. Exchange Year, JATA and Brand USA have established the “Tourism Exchange Year Working Group,” which consists of representatives from Japan’s major travel agencies and travel suppliers. The working group will meet on a regular basis in Tokyo in order to develop and successfully execute against the Exchange Year’s seven initiatives.
Endorsers of the Japan-U.S. Exchange Year include the Japan Tourism Agency; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA); U.S. Embassy Tokyo; the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan; the U.S. Travel Association; the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO); All Nippon Travel Association (ANTA); Overseas Tour Operators Association of Japan (OTOA); Visit USA Committee Japan; Narita International Airport Corp.; Tokyo International Air Terminal Corp.; Central Japan International Airport Corp.; Kansai International Airport Corp.; U.S. States and Cities Tourism Offices; Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.; All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd.; Delta Air Lines, Inc.; United Air Lines, Inc.; American Airlines, Inc.; and Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.
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About Brand USA
Brand USA was established by the Travel Promotion Act in 2010 to spearhead the nation’s first global marketing effort to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and to communicate U.S. entry/exit policies and procedures to worldwide travelers. Formed as the Corporation for Travel Promotion, the public-private entity began operations in May 2011 and does business as Brand USA. Brand USA works in close partnership with the travel industry to maximize the economic and social benefits of travel. The program’s activities are funded through a combination of private-sector investment and matching funds collected by the U.S. Government from international visitors who come to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program. Through its call-to-action—Discover America—Brand USA inspires travelers to explore the United States of America’s boundless possibilities. For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit www.TheBrandUSA.com. For information about exceptional and unexpected travel experiences in the United States, please visit Brand USA’s consumer website at www.DiscoverAmerica.com.
About JATA
Founded in 1959, the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) is sanctioned by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism based on the Travel Agency Law. JATA seeks to improve the quality of services provided to travelers to and from Japan. It contributes to the development of the travel and tourism industry through a variety of activities, including disseminating information, encouraging cooperation among members, and promoting the development of businesses and legislation that will benefit the membership and the industry at large. Each year, JATA hosts the annual JATA Tourism Forum & Travel Showcase, one of the largest tourism events in Asia.