Above, a streetcar approaches a stop in Nagasaki. Photo by Armand Vaquer.Travel Weekly.com has posted their "2011: Year In Review" on the state of the travel industry worldwide.
On Japan, they posted:
Nuclear radiation may be even scarier than violence, and that was the grim aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that crippled Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, leading to the world's worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl accident in Ukraine. Japan has addressed the damage from the quake and tsunami, but the area around the damaged reactors remains cordoned off for 12 miles in all directions, a necessary precaution that casts a pall over the entire country. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, arrivals from the U.S. fell by more than half. The numbers are beginning to come back, as consumers come to realize that Japan's major attractions are unaffected, but for Japan's tourism economy, it can't happen fast enough.
I couldn't agree more with the last sentence. It is unfortunate that the initial hysterical reporting of the Fukushima nuclear power plant's problems exacerbated the drop in tourist numbers. Again, I would have to point out that the poor rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen also put a damper on American travelers' desire to visit Japan. Those numbers will pick up once the dollar/yen exchange rate is more favorable to U.S. tourists. The current rate of exchange is mired at around 77-78 yen per dollar exchanged.
Along with Japan's major attractions, kaiju locations and landmarks were also unaffected, such as the Sasebo Catholic Church at left. The church can be seen in the 1956 feature Rodan.
As far as I am concerned, at least I can say that my year in sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan has been steady. Thanks to the guide, the months of slow and low claims work were more bearable. It pays to have more than one oar in the water!
To view the full Travel Weekly post, go here.
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