You are viewing an old revision of this post, from 11 October, 2011 @ 8:33. See below for differences between this version and the current revision.
Remember our story last week on Jamie Lafferty, touring and promoting Japan’s 47 prefectures as a guest of the Japanese tourist industry? It seems this is a country taking its publicity campaigns very seriously indeed (understandably so) – and now it’s stumping up 10,000 free flights to Japan in 2012.
According to the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun (and via the Telegraph), the Japan Tourist Agency will be asking wannabe visitors to apply online for free tickets to the area of the country they’d most like to visit, and if their application is successful their flight will be paid for (although accommodation and other expenses will be the responsibility of the visitor). No word yet on how or when the selection process will take place – and since it’s a campaign to bolster the country’s reputation as a tourist destination, we’re guessing visitors will be given every opportunity to write positive reports about the experience.
It’s impressively generous – but could it backfire?
The promotion does not erase personal concerns. If Japan really wishes to reassure foreign tourism markets, it should have introduced this marketing strategy four months ago.
- CN Yuen, Hong Kong business consultant
As Metro reports here, this is still a country struggling with the aftermath of a terrible year. It’s still putting things back together. If those visitors turn up expecting a relaxingly beautiful holiday on the coast, they may be in for a shock – and if the government restricts access to the most hard-hit (and perhaps still hazardous) sites as an attempt to limit bad press, those visitor write-ups could be less than glowing…
Will you be applying for a free flight to Japan?
Image: kanegen.
(Hat-tip to @HonzaKerver for the link).
Post Revisions:
- 13 December, 2011 @ 8:11 [Current Revision] by Mike Sowden
- 11 October, 2011 @ 8:33 by John O'Nolan
- 11 October, 2011 @ 8:02 by Mike Sowden
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There are no differences between the 11 October, 2011 @ 8:33 revision and the current revision. (Maybe only post meta information was changed.)
Would love to head to Japan, but probably not for another year after we are done with Europe. See how lucky we are though!
Could someone post link for application form?
How can I get two free tickets to Japan?
Iam in NSW Australia!
Application please
How can I apply for the ticket?
I would love too! How can I apply?
wow! this is great! Ditto to everyone else…how can I apply!?
When is the application starting? I would like to go to Japan.
Application link plz…
“It’s still putting things back together.”…. Mmmhhh… How long is that stuff radioactive contaminated? 15.000 years? They will put things together for quite a long time, I would say.
I really would have liked to visit Japan, but if you see how smart & with how big efforts their politicians kept things out of the press and downplayed the stories, I would first wait another 2-3 years before going there. People might still forget that wild mushrooms in Western Europe are still radioactive contaminated from Tschernobyl & shouldn’t be eaten. How long ago was that?
But to get to something positive, Japan definitely decided the right way, how to promote their destination… via travelers, social media & blogging (& by free airfares). :)
Mushrooms in Western Europe still contaminated? Got a source for that Melvin?
My stomach… Hahaha… I’ve seen a documentary about that a few months ago. Sorry, I don’t have the name for that anymore. There is no risk in eating mushrooms, as the one you get in a supermarket are out of green houses.
I’ll be applying when applications open. My desire to visit Japan outweighs my worries about radiation and the potential of seeing still-damaged areas. In fact, I’d be more interested in seeing the real Japan and reporting on the re-building, than seeing only a bright-and-shiny Japan. (If you’re looking for inspiration, @wheresandrew just did a prolonged story on Japan for NatGeo and it was quite inspiring.)
Where can I get the application form and apply? Please, thanks! I’m a big fan of Animes and Japan’s Culture! All the way from Davao City, Philippines. Thank you! :)
Guys, there is NO application form yet. The tourist office is planning this promotion. It might not happen at all (unlikely) but we’ll keep our ears open and try to report it as soon as there is any news about the promotion and how the application mechanics will work..
If you really want to keep ahead of the game, you might set up a Google alert for yourself using keywords like ‘Japan’ ‘apply’ ‘application’ and/or ‘free flights’.
As Alastair says above, it’s only just been announced – there’s no way to apply yet, and the application process is expected to start from next April…and as I said in the article, nobody has any idea what form that process will take (filling out a form? interviews? other?).
And when they open – I’ll be in the queue.
Regarding those Chernobyl-contaminated mushrooms, they were Bulgarian in origin and were discovered just south of Hull: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2002415/Radioactive-mushrooms-contaminated-Chernobyl-disaster-seized-British-port.html
I’m sure there’s a joke there.
I’m just reading a news article (sorry in German, but I’m sure you’ll find the same also in English online) that there was measured a nuclear contamination just beneath the score where they would have to evacuate a city. That was meassured in Tokyo… :(
Source: http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/medizin/0,1518,791636,00.html
Melvin, I saw the article in the UK press and then read the German one (with the help of Google translate). I understand that to get to the amount where it would be a danger someone would have to stand next to the source for 8 hours a day, every day for a whole year. It’s nothing more than sensational headlines. I wonder how many radiation sources we would find in Europe if we walked around with Geiger counters. I suspect we’d get a few more scares on this continent too :-)
The Japanese situation is very different to Chernobyl – I don’t take these things lightly but having done my own reading and research I was very happy to go to Japan last month and even stay in Sendai, a big lively city of 1 million people, which is around 100km from Fukushima.
I need to apply please
i live in missouri usa and barely make ends meet as a freelance writer & artist. I have a friend in miyazaki i would love to visit but due to high costs of tickets (even after scouring for deals) i’d never make enough money to go & come back. So this free flight would be perfect! The money i saved will go toward food (i love trying new food) & swords (collector). And my friend offered me to crash at her place (free lodging!) can’t wait when app process comes!!
I’d love to go, not to disaster struck areas. I think Turks need to know a little bit more about Japan:-) so do I.
i would love to go to japan because i had an exchange student stay with me :) i would love to be able to see her again :) how do i apply
I want to take Ikebana classes in Japan (Kyoto?) (already completed fourh level in Sogetsu school.) Would also complete the O’Henro in Shikoku,and hike the Japonese Alps.I live in Tahiti and I Love Japan!