Hotels benefit from tourism boom

SINGAPORE Hotels in Japan are benefitting from a recent boom in international travel to Japan.

With Japan’s initial target of 20 million visitors by 2020 – the year Tokyo will host the Summer Olympics – almost within reach four years ahead of schedule, the government has just announced a revision of its targets. The new goal is 40 million, by 2025.

According to Japan National Tourism Organisation, it estimates international visitors to Japan in January 2016 reached 1.85 million, representing an increase of 52% over the same period in 2015. That is the highest figure for January and the second highest on a monthly basis since July 2015.

Hotels responding to the positive trend are seeking solutions that will help them attract international travellers, while still maintaining a healthy stream of domestic business.

“Hotels in Japan have been doing well just filling the rooms mostly with domestic tourists, but there is now a lot of talk in the market about how to tap into the huge global market that is growing at an incredible rate,” said Fastbooking.Com managing director Asia, Pierre-Charles Grob.

“Our message to hotels is to prioritise two tasks – develop a direct booking channel, and create a watertight revenue management strategy that can manage all booking channels with best results,” Grob added.

Fastbooking.Com is working with over 300 hotels including Prince Hotels and Resorts, Fujita Kanko, Tokyu Hotels and Resorts, Hankyu Hanshin, Century Southern Tower, and Park Hotel Tokyo- and recently signed contracts with the Ishin Group and Okura Nikko Hotel Management.