After the impact of Japan’s March 12, 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis took hold, the majority of Japanese tour operators reported in the U.S. Department of Commerce sponsored Japan Travel Trade Barometer (as of June 11 - July 8, 2011) that bookings for travel to the United States in the second quarter 2011 would be lower (38%) and much lower (31%). And approximately 13 percent of the travel trade projected second quarter bookings to be about the same as last year. But not all the news was bad, with just under one fifth (19%) of the trade projecting second quarter bookings to be higher than last year.

The Japanese travel trade projected summer 2011 bookings to be on par, on average, with last summer. However, the majority of the Japanese trade projected bookings to be lower (50%) and much lower (6%). Approximately one fifth (19%) of the trade projected bookings to be on par, year over year. In contrast, one quarter of the Japanese trade was more optimistic and projected bookings to be higher (19%) and much higher (6%).

The top motivator listed for travel from Japan to the United States over the next six months was the exchange rate to the U.S. dollar.

The top deterrent listed for travel from Japan to the United States over the next six months was airfare/fuel surcharges. The March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima disaster ranked second. The economy in Japan rounded out the top three deterrents.

City.Mobi

Also in Japan today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Tokyo.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Tokyo.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.