FAIRBANKS — Japan Airlines cut half of its flights to Fairbanks this winter, removing travel options to and from one of the city’s biggest winter tourism draws.

Japan’s largest carrier will have nine direct flights from Tokyo to Fairbanks this year, down from 18 last year.

In 2008, the 18 flights were a crucial part of a projected $4 million injected into the Fairbanks economy by Japanese tourists, many of whom came to see the aurora borealis.

That same year, the Interior was a destination for about 29 percent of Alaska’s winter tourists.

A 2006 study by the Alaska Visitor Statistics program estimated that tourists from Asia spend $1,336 per person on vacations in Alaska.

That does not include travel costs.

JAL dropped the flights because it is being restructured, said Colin Lawrence, a Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau employee who attended a travel convention in Tokyo.

An agreement between the U.S. and Japan to relax travel restrictions between the companies has opened the door for American carriers to prop up the struggling JAL, The Associated Press reported Friday.

The agreement has not been approved formally by either country.

The airline hasn’t officially announced the reduction, Lawrence said. Fears of swine flu and poor economies in the United States and Japan haven’t helped matters, and the company will cut flights to most destinations.

While there will no doubt be fewer Japanese tourists this winter, Lawrence said interest in visiting Fairbanks is growing in Taiwan and South Korea, and there are enough flights through other carriers to get them here.

“The demand is still there,” he said.

As a popular Interior destination for Japanese tourists, Chena Hot Springs Resort benefited greatly from the charters — but owner Bernie Karl doesn’t expect a downturn from last year.

Karl said the resort’s proactive, aggressive promotion has kept business steady. For example, the hot springs’ Japan marketing specialist has steered many customers to other travel options, such as direct China Air flights to Anchorage.

“It’s going to be tough on me, but I’m going to make it up,” Karl said. “I’m not going to dwell on what’s bad and turn this into a positive. ... It’s going to free up rooms, and I’m going to remarket them.”

Karl further bridged the gap by promoting the resort locally with discounts for in-state customers, cutting some rates by half.

“There’s a great business out there — they’re called Alaskans,” he said.

The reduction of JAL flights is the latest hit taken by Fairbanks tourism this year.

Two cruise ships were taken out of Alaska waters earlier this week and three were removed from the Gulf of Alaska earlier this year.

The number of cruise passengers who visit Fairbanks varies from year to year, but they have a large impact on Fairbanks’ summer tourism, said FCVB president Deb Hickok.

According to AP, a possible 100,000 passengers will be lost with the ships’ departure.

Hickok said the three ships removed from the Gulf of Alaska ports will take away about 30 percent of possible Fairbanks visitors from cruise lines. The FCVB is hoping that independent travelers and other unknown variables can help the Fairbanks tourism industry survive another down year.

“We’re concerned for the summer again,” she said.

Contact staff writer Joshua Armstrong at

459-7523.