Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Originally Posted By: oblivion
Originally Posted By: TJ OZ
just trying to get a grasp of peoples feelings.


Are you just naive, stupid or simply incredibly blinkered?
Or a combination of them all?

I am interested to hear what people who are not living in Japan are thinking in regards to holidaying here especially for the ski season 10 months away. Currently most people are sitting on the fence and waiting to see what happens with the nuclear situation. I know of a number of people who are still moving ahead with their plans to ski in Japan next season.
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 428
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I spoke to a few business owners in Hakuba(both Japanese and foreign) during the weekend and everyone is of course concerned about next season but they are all trying to be positive and hope that once/if the power station situation is resolved that bookings for next season will start coming in. The Japanese I spoke to are currently concerned about the summer season and getting the Japanese visitor numbers up.

 

Even though it was quiet in Hakuba I had a great day boarding with a bit of fresh snow and it is like what Go Native is reporting about Hokkaido and that the resorts and facilities are unaffected by the recent events and the people that are there are carrying on with life as normal.

 

On Sunday the skier numbers seemed to be up and a number of out of town number plates on cars so hopefully thats an indication that people are getting out more which is needed for the economy to improve.

 

Hopefully if I have time I`ll still get quite a few more days riding this spring.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: TJ OZ
I know of a number of people who are still moving ahead with their plans to ski in Japan next season.


But do you understand why some people don't have plans to come?
Link to post
Share on other sites

I guess it's time to face up to the blatantly obvious and undeniable truth that your caustic sounding friends are trying to impart to you TJ OZ. No one will ever want to go near Japan ever again, especially not to ski. The risk of an earthquake occurring is just too great and humans just have such long memories for disasters like these.

It happens all the time, no one will go near Moscow or northern Europe on account of Chernobyl, no one will ever go to Thailand or indeed anywhere near the Indian ocean because of the tsunami, may as well forget about Australia, it got burned then washed away. You may as well just get used to the idea that Japan is going to be a ghost town from now on. Tourists never forget!

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Captain Stag
I guess it's time to face up to the blatantly obvious and undeniable truth that your caustic sounding friends are trying to impart to you TJ OZ. No one will ever want to go near Japan ever again, especially not to ski. The risk of an earthquake occurring is just too great and humans just have such long memories for disasters like these.
It happens all the time, no one will go near Moscow or northern Europe on account of Chernobyl, no one will ever go to Thailand or indeed anywhere near the Indian ocean because of the tsunami, may as well forget about Australia, it got burned then washed away. You may as well just get used to the idea that Japan is going to be a ghost town from now on. Tourists never forget!

Thanks Stag. Finally something legible. thumbsup
Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: TJ OZ
Originally Posted By: oblivion
Originally Posted By: TJ OZ
just trying to get a grasp of peoples feelings.


Are you just naive, stupid or simply incredibly blinkered?
Or a combination of them all?

I am interested to hear what people who are not living in Japan are thinking in regards to holidaying here especially for the ski season 10 months away. Currently most people are sitting on the fence and waiting to see what happens with the nuclear situation. I know of a number of people who are still moving ahead with their plans to ski in Japan next season.


I also know quite a few people who are already planning on next season. What's happened down south isn't factoring into their plans at all. From the looks of it on the Aussie ski site we contribute to TJ plenty of Aussies already moving ahead with their plans to come here next season. I think the impact will be far greater on the SE Asian market than the Aussie/NZ one. Overall I think there will be a big impact on early bookings but if they get all the reactors under control soon then bookings will flood back in later. For those that don't much care one way or the other about what's happening at the reactors there's bound to be some excellent early bird deals out there.
Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: KRUSTY
I spoke to a few business owners in Hakuba(both Japanese and foreign) during the weekend and everyone is of course concerned about next season but they are all trying to be positive and hope that once/if the power station situation is resolved that bookings for next season will start coming in. The Japanese I spoke to are currently concerned about the summer season and getting the Japanese visitor numbers up.

Even though it was quiet in Hakuba I had a great day boarding with a bit of fresh snow and it is like what Go Native is reporting about Hokkaido and that the resorts and facilities are unaffected by the recent events and the people that are there are carrying on with life as normal.

On Sunday the skier numbers seemed to be up and a number of out of town number plates on cars so hopefully thats an indication that people are getting out more which is needed for the economy to improve.

Hopefully if I have time I`ll still get quite a few more days riding this spring.


The sad part up here is the affect on the other businesses around town. Our places were winding down anyway but the resorts must be feeling the crunch along with all of the other smaller businesses that rely on mostly the domestic tourism that continues throughout the year. Good to see it picked up a little last weekend. Thanks Krusty for your contribution to the town and I would encourage everyone to get out there no matter which resort to enjoy the great spring conditions.
Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Go Native
Originally Posted By: TJ OZ
Originally Posted By: oblivion
just trying to get a grasp of peoples feelings.


Are you just naive, stupid or simply incredibly blinkered?
Or a combination of them all?

I am interested to hear what people who are not living in Japan are thinking in regards to holidaying here especially for the ski season 10 months away. Currently most people are sitting on the fence and waiting to see what happens with the nuclear situation. I know of a number of people who are still moving ahead with their plans to ski in Japan next season.


I also know quite a few people who are already planning on next season. What's happened down south isn't factoring into their plans at all. From the looks of it on the Aussie ski site we contribute to TJ plenty of Aussies already moving ahead with their plans to come here next season. I think the impact will be far greater on the SE Asian market than the Aussie/NZ one. Overall I think there will be a big impact on early bookings but if they get all the reactors under control soon then bookings will flood back in later. For those that don't much care one way or the other about what's happening at the reactors there's bound to be some excellent early bird deals out there.

thumbsup
Link to post
Share on other sites

I guess the smart people will be booking their ski trips to Japan in the next few weeks and most likely getting some real bargains.

 

People are really incapable of assessing risk - I mean, now there's been a big earthquake, suddenly people just think "Japan - Earthquakes", but Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on the planet - always has been, but before the big earthquake, nobody thought twice about coming here. Of course, there have been many aftershocks, but in a month or so, the risk from earthquakes will be pretty much the same as it always was.

Likewise with the NPP - the radiation increases even here, just 100 miles from the plant are less than anywhere in Europe experienced during Chernobyl. I can understand people holding out a while until they've got the situation there fully under control, but surely by next season that will be history.

Unless there are any other major disasters, then I really dont see anybody's skiing holiday in Japan next season being affected at all by recent events.

As has been pointed out though, in two or three months, everybody abroad will have forgotten all about this and will instead be concentrated on the next big news article of the time.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Captain Stag
I guess it's time to face up to the blatantly obvious and undeniable truth that your caustic sounding friends are trying to impart to you TJ OZ. No one will ever want to go near Japan ever again, especially not to ski. The risk of an earthquake occurring is just too great and humans just have such long memories for disasters like these.
It happens all the time, no one will go near Moscow or northern Europe on account of Chernobyl, no one will ever go to Thailand or indeed anywhere near the Indian ocean because of the tsunami, may as well forget about Australia, it got burned then washed away. You may as well just get used to the idea that Japan is going to be a ghost town from now on. Tourists never forget!

thumbsup
I was typing a much less eloquently worded response on my phone earlier today when the signal dropped out.
Would be great if we could keep the nastiness out of it.
A very wise friend said to me this week ""Be kinder than necessary, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle"" in the aftermath of a friend of ours taking his own life. I would think everyone in Japan or with loved ones in Japan are having a tough time right now - frazzled nerves, concern for the future of their businesses or simply grief for the loss of others. Time to show kindness and tolerance I reckon.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Not sure about that Mamabear, I keep on hearing how everything is just normal in places not affected. Which is it, I wonder? Normal? Or not?

 

Some of the trying-to-convince-yourself comments by people who will inevitably be affected come across as quite desperate, I must say. I can understand why with a lot at stake, and wish people well. But I don't 'owe' Japan my ski holiday. I have made a contributon to help out, but to imply that I should be travelling to Japan to support it is a bit overboard. I'm planning a holiday, not a disaster support misson. There are plenty of places I really want to go to.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Gary
Unless there are any other major disasters, then I really dont see anybody's skiing holiday in Japan next season being affected at all by recent events


So, you just choosing to simply ignore comments by people saying otherwise?
confused
Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: Gary
People are really incapable of assessing risk - I mean, now there's been a big earthquake, suddenly people just think "Japan - Earthquakes", but Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on the planet - always has been, but before the big earthquake, nobody thought twice about coming here.


Exacty.
People didn't think about it / know about it before.
They do now.
Link to post
Share on other sites

I probably won't have any problems visiting again, but now isn't the time for me to be making any decision. I usually make them in November anyway.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It sure doesn't help the image of normality when you have some local companies in places that are apparently 'unaffected' literally shutting up shop and 'running away' ( see Canyons, Evergreen etc).

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: window-cleaner
Originally Posted By: Gary
Unless there are any other major disasters, then I really dont see anybody's skiing holiday in Japan next season being affected at all by recent events


So, you just choosing to simply ignore comments by people saying otherwise?
confused


I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say - obviously if people cancel their trip and don't come, then their trip will have been affected. If however, they come anyway, then their trip won't be affected by recent events. If they come now, then obviously they might have some inconveniences such as power cuts and closed lifts for energy savings reasons. My point is that although peoples reaction is understandable, when you think about it its a bit of an over-reaction to write off a trip to Japan 9 months or so away when things here will most likely have long since got back to normal.
Link to post
Share on other sites

There are plenty of ski destinations around the world that I want to go to.

Places that don't have any of this shit going on, as pie-eater so funnily said in another thread.

Forgive me for choosing somewhere that is not Japan.

Weighing stuff up, other places win. Simple as. Not a hard decision.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: mina2
It sure doesn't help the image of normality when you have some local companies in places that are apparently 'unaffected' literally shutting up shop and 'running away' ( see Canyons, Evergreen etc).


I didn't know that actually, I'm surprised.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Ah confused I'm sure that when I first started going to Japan I was well aware that they were earthquake prone. I knew they had daily tremors and there were active volcanoes. That just made it all the more exciting. Why know that there has been a major earthquake would that stop me going??? The people are the same, the experience is the same, the food is the same and the snow is the same.

 

From what I am being told by friends everything stood up pretty well to the earthquake but it is the tsunami that has caused all the damage.

Link to post
Share on other sites

When I first came here TO LIVE, I didn't really give much thought to earthquakes at all.

 

The Kobe earthquake looked ugly. But it was not near me, so while it looked awful, it didn't affect me so I didn't give it too much thought. A bit like what Go Native etc say now.

 

Then Chuetsu happened on our doorstep and I suddenly became very aware of earthquakes.

 

My guess is that many people will not have given much thought to the subject of earthquakes before coming to Japan other than a fleeting glance in the guide books and a 'yeah, yeah' attitude if any.

 

This event is on a way different bigger scale to Kobe / Chuetsu in so many ways and will undoubtably have brought it much more to the front of peoples minds when thinking about Japan.

 

Japan? Earthquake/tsunami/reactor. That is unfortunately the reaction of many people right now. Simply talking to friends and people back home who don't have any Japan ties and that much is very clear. How that changes over time remains to be seen.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: window-cleaner
There are plenty of ski destinations around the world that I want to go to.
Places that don't have any of this shit going on, as pie-eater so funnily said in another thread.
Forgive me for choosing somewhere that is not Japan.
Weighing stuff up, other places win. Simple as. Not a hard decision.


I totally understand your decision to go to another ski destination, but I think if that if you based that decision solely on current events (and I'm not saying you did), then that is an over-reaction. In 9 months time there simply won't be any of this shit going on. Unless of course, there is some other major disaster here, the chances of which are the same as they were a month ago before any of this happened, and probably not too different to what they are anywhere else.
I went out on Saturday and had one of the best days skiing I've had this season - my trip was not affected in the slightest by events in Tohoku or Fukushima, so Im pretty sure that in 9 months time, my skiing trips here won't be affected.
Link to post
Share on other sites
Originally Posted By: TJ OZ
Pretty much how it was in Hakuba 8 years ago although the Japanese are into it a lot more now.


We still haven't had an explanation of what 'Hakuba 8 years ago' is about.....
Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...