Japan

Market Overview

Japan is New Zealand's fifth-largest tourism market. After a challenging 2011, the market showed good signs of recovery during 2012, with positive signs for continued improvements
in 2013. This has been helped by a general recovery in outbound travel from Japan, increased airline capacity and promotions at competitive rates, renewed demand among Japan's traditional senior travellers and an increased focus on Japan's younger travellers.
 
There is a reasonable level of repeat travel from Japan, with just under a third having visited New Zealand more than once. Tourism New Zealand is working on ways to grow this repeat travel even more, while also focusing on attracting an emerging number of younger Japanese travellers referred to as Japan's "Young Adventurers" (previously referred to as "Fun Seeking Friends") segment.

Traditional trade partners remain committed to promoting New Zealand and are reporting recovering demand from senior group travellers. New trade partners have welcomed the targeting of the emerging younger traveller market and are now actively developing programmes to support this strategy. New Zealand enjoyed increased visibility and awareness throughout 2012 with a number of featured travel stories across popular Japanese broadcast and magazine titles. New Zealand saw increased awareness as the home of Middle-earth as a result of a new 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand promotion and the successful release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey across Japan.