Aussies Want Japanese to Visit Down Under

Queensland government is worried because Japanese aren't visiting like they used to.

Increasing travel costs due to fuel surcharges and a stronger Australian dollar are to blame.

Whatever is at fault, a Japanese office worker must pay 45% MORE now for a holiday in Japan than they did three years ago.

A $2000 holiday is now almost $3000. Big difference.

Japanese visitation has decreased by nine per cent causing a decrease in expenditure of 13% says Australia's Tourism Minister.

"Despite its challenges, Japan is still an important tourism market for Australia and brings more than

half a million visitors who inject billions of dollars into the Australian economy each year," says one tourism industry official.

Billions of dollars = hundreds of billions of yen = a big impact if/when the money stops coming in.

The Japanese have money to throw away…they just don't want to travel to the other side of the world to do it.