At the beginning of the 1990s Japan’s currency, the yen, was so strong that it caused an intense controversy in Australia.
Some people feared that Japanese buying power was so strong that many of our precious national assets would soon be owned by investors from Tokyo.
Fifteen years on, it is Australia’s dollar that is so strong that the Australian tourism industry is now worried that Japanese people will not travel here any more.
Many Japanese are cutting costs where they can, apparently booking fewer holidays to Australia.
Even the most popular destinations such as far north Queensland may be lucky to beat last year’s Japanese visitor arrivals.
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At the beginning of the 1990s Japan's currency, the yen, was so strong that it caused an intense controversy in Australia.
Some people feared that Japanese buying power was so strong that many of our precious national assets would soon be owned by investors from Tokyo.
Fifteen years on, it is Australia's dollar that is so strong that the Australian tourism industry is now worried that Japanese people will not travel here any more.
Many Japanese are cutting costs where they can, apparently booking fewer holidays to Australia.
Even the most popular destinations such as far north Queensland may be lucky to beat last
Her pointed remark in Pigeon Forge came as she said Tennessee has edged out Nevada to become the eleventh most visited state in the country.
While most Southern states are declining in visitation, she said, Tennessee's is up 2.1 percent.
Whitaker also said increasing gas prices do not seem to have affected tourism for Tennessee, which draws more than 40 million visitors a year.
Source: newschannel5.com
Queensland's tourism industry is continuing its fight to stop the Federal Government imposing the goods and services tax (GST) on overseas visitors.
The industry is trying to stop a bill being passed through the Senate and will be among the groups taking their case to a public hearing in Brisbane next week.
Daniel Gschwind from the Queensland Tourism Industry Council says the imposition of the tax could turn people away from Australia.
"The demand for a product is always influenced by the price and clearly Australia is a relatively high cost experience for visitors," he said.
"We are a long way away from most
From the halls of the Clinton Presidential Center to the vast array of lakes and resorts across the state, industry officials say the tourism trade across the state is flourishing.
"I think we are being discovered by more and more people," Montine McNulty, executive director of the Arkansas Hospitality Association, said of the steady stream of out-of-state and international travelers coming to Arkansas. "Arkansas is not the secret that it use to be."
McNulty said there may be no better evidence of an economic breakout for the state's second-largest industry than in the hospitality trade. Every where you go - from Eureka
Health threats to Tourism Industry
Asia Pacific's tourism leaders needed to pro-actively engage the health sector to help combat future threats, such as avian influenza, travel industry delegates to the 54th Pacific Asia Travel Association Annual Conference were told.
Director Professor of the University of Queensland Centre for Tourism and Risk Management Jeff Wilks urged the industry to prepare for future health crises. "It's a matter of when, not if, the next health threat strikes our region. We can't sit on our hands and hope that someone else protects tourism," he said.
Prof Wilks said inaction would lead to poor destination