'Come and get it:' Tokyo sends out call to cash-rich Chinese tourists

With inbound tourism still sluggish in the wake of the March 11 disasters in northeast Japan, Tokyo retailers and tour companies are pulling out all the stops to win back Chinese visitors this fall.

Early October and the national holidays in China usually bring an influx of tourists from Japan’s neighbor, but indicators suggest bookings for tours last week were as much as 50 percent down on 2010.

Up and running

Those Chinese visitors who did make the trip across the Sea of Japan/East Sea found, however, that services specifically tailored their needs are back in full swing.

Coach tour giant Hato Bus restarted its Tokyo excursions with Mandarin-speaking guides on October 2, six months after canceling them due to lack of customers.

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A Hato spokesperson explained the forward thinking behind the resumption. “The tour will be forgotten if it remains suspended,” he told the Asahi newspaper.

Store managers in Akihabara -- traditionally packed with gadget-hungry Chinese shoppers at this time of year -- are also deploying Chinese-speaking staff.

By the numbers

Duty-free specialist Laox reports it had 50 Mandarin speakers ready to help ring up the yuan.

So far, the drive seems to be having an impact -- Laox reports last Sunday saw 31 Chinese tour buses disgorge happy shoppers through its doors.

• More on CNNGo: Chinese tourists by the numbers