China Sees Sharp Drop In Japanese Tourists

The crackdown on Tibetan protesters, the Olympic torch debacle, and food safety concerns have taken their toll on tourism to China:

Travel agencies expected Japanese tourists to swamp China during the holiday period between late April and early May ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August.

But the number of Golden Week tourists plunged by more than 70 percent from a year ago, based on reservations handled by Nippon Travel Agency Co. Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. meanwhile said it saw a drop of about 50 percent, while JTB Corp. saw a drop of around 20 percent.

The drops were primarily caused by the agencies’ decision to exclude Tibet and its vicinity as destinations in the wake of the sometimes violent autonomy demonstrations in Tibet in March and the ensuing bloody crackdown by China. The consequent protests have dogged the Olympic torch’s round-the-world relay ever since.

The fears surrounding pesticide-tainted “gyoza” (dumplings) from China that sickened people in Japan in January also may have discouraged tourists from visiting China, industry sources said.