Japan ranks bottom among rich nations in tourism competitiveness+

GENEVA, March 4 Kyodo - Japan ranked 25th in travel and tourism competitiveness in the world this year, down from 23rd the previous year and ranking at the bottom among developed countries, an annual survey by the World Economic Forum showed Wednesday.

Although Japan ranked top among 133 economies in two of the 14 categories, such
as a category of health and hygiene, in The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness
Report 2009, it ranked third from bottom for the affinity of the country for
travel and tourism.
The country also got a low score in price competitiveness in the travel and
tourism industry, ranking 86th, while it got a high score in cultural resources
and ground transport infrastructure, the Swiss-based think tank said.
In the overall evaluation, Switzerland remained top, followed by Austria and
Germany, the same order as the previous year's survey.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Australia ranked top at ninth, down five places
from last year. Singapore came second, followed by Hong Kong, New Zealand and
Japan.
==Kyodo