JUNEAU, Alaska -- The Alaska Division of Tourism's Japan office
compiled a 21st Century Alaska Tour Planning Manual.
Included in the manual are summer and winter tour options, as
well as lists of Alaska hotels and motels, tour companies and
seasonal attractions.
The Japanese are second only to the Germans among international
visitors to Alaska.
"The Japanese tourist is very good for us," said a spokesman for
the state Division of Tourism. "Half of our visitors from Japan
come in the wintertime, our off-season, to see the Aurora.
"They give us a boost in the winter and visit Fairbanks when the
market is slow."
The winter tours feature the attractions most Japanese tourists
hope to see, according to a study conducted by the University of
Alaska-Fairbanks. Here are the top two:
The Aurora Borealis, the primary attraction named by 96% of
Japanese tourists surveyed.The Arctic night in Barrow, the most desired place to visit
(47%).Preferred summer tours feature Denali National Park and Glacier
Fjord; a one-day Alaska cruise; hot springs, and Native American
culture.
Ecology tours include watching for whales, bears and caribou,
and visiting Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
Hiking at Columbia Glacier and Growler Island, family camping at
Denali and kayaking at the World Nature Heritage in Glacier Bay
lead the list of adventure tours.
Driving, either by car or recreational vehicle, also made the
list of top programs.
According to the University study, Japanese visitors in winter
prefer Fairbanks over other Alaska cities, and 53% stay in
Fairbanks at least three days.
Along with their fascination for the northern lights, which can
be seen in Fairbanks a total of 240 days a year, Japanese tourists
enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, among them dogsledding and
snowmobiling.
The survey also indicated that the Japanese package their tours
within three months of departure and that promotional materials
should be in place at least that far in advance of the opening of
the tourism season.
Japanese tourists get their information mostly from travel
agents in Japan.
Therefore, in order for Alaska tour operators to take full
advantage of the Japanese market, tourism products must be sold in
Japan rather than Alaska, by marketing through a travel agent there
or a U.S. wholesaler that links agencies in Japan with operators in
Alaska, the study said.
For assistance in contacting travel agents in Japan or
wholesalers in the U.S. (Anchorage has four), agents can call the
state tourism office in Juneau.
Alaska State Division of Tourism
Phone: (907) 465-5475