STAR-BULLETIN / MARCH 2002 Hawaii and other destinations are expected to get a boost in Japanese arrivals during the upcoming Golden Week holiday, according to JTB, Japan's largest tour agency.

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Golden Week expected
to have more glitter

Japanese travel to Hawaii may rise 15 percent from last year during the annual Golden Week holiday, according to Japan's largest tour agency.

JTB Corp. said up to 53,000 Japanese may visit the islands during between April 27 and May 7, while another 52,000 will visit the U.S. mainland. At the same time, the number of people traveling to Europe will increase 15 percent to 86,000 , and trips to China will rise 27 percent to 95,000, JTB said.

Overall, the number of Japanese traveling during the country's Golden Week holiday will rise 1.5 percent this year to 22 million.

A record 602,000 people will travel abroad during the holiday, 14 percent more than last year, and the highest since JTB began its annual survey in 1969, the Tokyo-based company said yesterday. The number of people taking domestic holidays will rise 1.2 percent to 21.4 million, JTB said.

More people are planning to travel to the United States, Europe and other overseas destinations to take advantage of the Golden Week, so called because it combines four holidays within seven days. The opening of the 2005 World Exposition near central Japan's Nagoya city is also attracting visitors, JTB said.