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Japan Airlines Resumes LV Nonstop Flight Service4 March 2002LAS VEGAS -- March 2, 2002 -- As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal: ``Showgirls from the Riviera hotel greeted about 260 Japanese visitors as they arrived Friday at McCarran International Airport aboard Japan Airlines, marking the return of nonstop air service from Tokyo. ``The airline, which initiated Tokyo-Las Vegas service in late 1998, will fly the route three times a week, building it back up to five times a week by mid-July, said John McGee, vice president of passenger marketing for the airline. ``The flights were suspended in October in response to weakened demand for Asian travel to the United States following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Japan is the No. 1 market for overseas visitors to Las Vegas, sending 511,000 tourists here in 2000, according to statistics from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. ``McGee said the number of passengers on Friday's flight was a good indication of demand for Las Vegas, and that advance bookings are increasing week by week. ``...Las Vegas has sorely missed the lucrative Japanese tourist segment, from the hotels and casinos to the high-end retail and air tour operators. ``...Many of the higher-end retail shops on the Strip have suffered since the airline suspended service. While the Japanese may not be big on gambling, as McGee said, they do spend lavishly at gourmet restaurants and brand-name stores..." |