Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Japan Is No.3 (for U.S. Echo Boomers)

The Harris Interactive released the results of its annual U.S. poll on top vacation destinations. Specifically, it put the following question to 2,454 U.S. adults:

If you could spend a vacation in any country in the world, outside the United States, and you would not have to worry about the cost, what one country would you choose?

Italy tops the list, followed by Australia (after 11 years at the No.1 spot), Great Britain, France, Ireland, Greece, and… Japan. Rounding out the top 1o were Germany, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, Switzerland, Mexico, Bahamas, and Jamaica, in that order.

Japan’s owes its surprising seventh-place finish to Echo Boomers, age 18-31, who ranked Japan No.3., just behind Italy and Great Britain. By contrast, Ireland, which did note even place in the top 15, and overall NO.12 Switzerland finished 4th and 5th respectively among the Matures, or 63 and over generation.

It’s not hard to guess what’s drawing these youngsters to Japan. Hint: It ain’t Tokyo Disneyland, and it ain’t Fujiyama. That it’s an online poll also must have boosted Japan’s numbers.

ADD 24 July: Eschatron bares all, and I give my two bit’s worth on the reasons for Japan’s third-place finish. Like I've said before, the comments are funner than the posts.

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