Japan is back on the map with the UK trade following the lifting of Covid-19 entry restrictions from April 29.
Feedback from a Pacific Asia Travel Association UK & Ireland travel agent poll revealed that more than half (54%) have seen an increase in enquiries and bookings for the country since the start of May.
And more than three-quarters of agents asked plan to proactively promote holidays to Japan to their customers now travel is restriction free.
When asked which countries in the Asia Pacific region have been selling best in the last few weeks, agents named New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Laos and Japan as the most popular.
Pata UK & Ireland chairman Chris Crampton said: “We are so pleased so many Asia Pacific countries have lifted Covid-19 related entry requirements.
“Of our agents’ top selling destinations, all have no entry rules making travel easy and flexible again.
“This is reflected in the increase in enquiries to the likes of Laos which are typically part of a multi-centre Asia itinerary with Thailand.
“Sri Lanka and Maldives have also made a strong comeback as a popular honeymoon combination especially since the unrest in Sri Lanka has subsided.”
Yoshiro Shimoji, chairman of the Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau, has projected a 40% year-on-year rise in visitors to the southern Japanese island chain between April and July to 2.6 million.