Visa joins drive to lure tourists.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun/Daily Yomiuri)

Visa joins drive to lure tourists

Yomiuri

Visa International has officially joined the effort by All Nippon Airways and the Star Alliance to promote Japan as an international tourist destination in cooperation with the Construction and Transport Ministry, the companies announced at a joint press conference Thursday.

To make the country more appealing to potential visitors, Star Alliance--an organization of 15 of the world's top airlines, also including Lufthansa German Airlines and Thai Airways International--has also created the Japan Airpass, operated by ANA. Similar to a rail pass, it can only be purchased outside the country and offers a considerable discount on domestic flights, costing only 11,000 yen for any destination.

In addition to offering their card members special discounts at designated locations nationwide, Visa will also work to expand its domestic coverage, including the less-trafficked areas of Japan, Visa International Executive Vice President & General Manager for Japan, Richard Chang said.

Seeing Japan as a region critical to their success, the two organizations--the biggest in their respective industries--are working in tandem to promote the ministry's Visit Japan Campaign, also known as Yokoso! Japan, an initiative to double inbound tourists to 10 million by 2010.