Japanese report faults N.Z.

Press, 23 October 1984, Page 1

Japanese report faults N.Z.

From

ROY VAUGHAN

in Kyoto New Zealand is an admirable country to visit but no one has really bothered to emphasise the point to potential Japanese tourists. Hotel and other tourist services are also not quite up to scratch, according to a highly critical Japanese report on the New Zealand tourist industry. Few New Zealand hotels cater for Japanese tastes and preferences and New Zealand tour guides, who are given high marks for their kindness and enthusiasm, need professional training and academic knowledge of their subject. The report, which has been compiled by Mr Naotaka Odake, the director and general manager of the Kansai Regional Headquarters of the Japan Travel Bureau, compiled a list of shortcoming which he believes must be improved if New Zealand is to achieve a planned 20 per cent annual growth in tourism from Japan. Many hotel menus, information sheets, and fire and emergency procedures should be written in Japanese, and some Japanesespeaking staff should be employed. He suggests the adoption of standard hotel room fees and faster immigration pro-

cedures at Auckland Airport Domestic airlines should be better organised to provide an advance block booking system, run schedules on time, and switch over to larger aircraft. “It is a unique market in that if the tourist can get his air ticket confirmed he is not too much concerned with the content or price of the tour, attesting to the popularity of New Zealand,” he said. The latest Japanese figures show that New Zealand shares with Australia the distinction of being the most popular honeymoon destination for Japanese newly weds. New Zealand took 35 per cent’ of the total Japanese honeymoon market last year. New Zealand is also an important developing ■tourist destination for young Japanese office women and the over-55 age group. The Japan Travel Bureau figures show two-thirds of all Japanese tourists visit New Zealand between October and March. Mr Odake said the potential for Japanese family travel to New Zealand will increase in future as well as for small groups. Touring by car could also become popular, and he said more attention should be paid to road signs with that in mind.