Jetstar Japan Launch Welcomed by Tourism Australia

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Jetstar Japan Launch

Tourism Australia has welcomed the network launch by Jetstar Japan to future connect five domestic Japanese city markets seamlessly and more affordably with Jetstar international flight offerings on the Japan-Australia route, as a further positive step in reenergising the brand Australia presence in Japan.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said Jetstar, the largest Japan-Australia operator, would have its international services from gateway Tokyo (Narita) and Osaka Airports also supported by the Jetstar Japan network from the cities of Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa and beyond to Australia.

"Tourism Australia believes the arrival of Jetstar Japan will bring positive benefits and be a catalyst for further renewal of the Japan-Australia route as the Jetstar pan Asian airline model is proving successful in capturing strong travel demand in the high-growth Asian market through its low fares and large, increasingly integrated flight network," Mr McEvoy said.

"The Japanese market remains engaged on Australia and this now can be embraced by new news by Jetstar Japan and greater ease of access and fare affordability to visit Australia.

"We now look forward to future commercial developments by Jetstar in Japan, including with its partner JAL,  as well as Jetstar's own  parent company, Qantas, to flex the full scope of the Jetstar Japan network and links to partner airlines serving the Japan-Australia route.

Jetstar Japan

"Tourism Australia supports a balanced portfolio of international markets where we conduct our activity under the now established and successful There's nothing like Australia campaign. In Japan we are however adopting a new approach in this market, and working more directly with airline partners like Jetstar, that are both growing and best meeting the needs of the changing Japanese traveller."

Mr McEvoy said the national tourism organisation was seeing a positive turnaround in the Japan inbound market to Australia since the tragic tsunami and earthquake events of March 2011.

"Australia's fifth largest source market for international tourists, Japanese visitor arrivals have grown 4.4 per cent over the first two months of 2012, and we foresee more positive forward growth from these recent green shoots," Mr McEvoy said.

Jetstar Japan

"Tourism Australia looks positively towards a more sustainable Japanese international market under the whole of government and industry Tourism 2020 strategy. This market has potential to grow by year 2020 to between A$2.7 and $3.3 billion in total visitor expenditure."

Late last year Tourism Australia and Jetstar signed a A$10 million marketing deal aimed at boosting both Japanese inbound tourism and best leveraging Jetstar's expanding Asia Pacific network within Asia to promote Australia's compelling tourism offering. The parties now contribute to a range of joint marketing, digital and social media activities, kickstarted in the Japan market.