Influenza A/H1N1 fears has spooked Japanese tourists, with bookings for tours in New Zealand in May and June down about 75 percent, travel companies said.

Nearly 700 Japanese travelers had canceled bookings with Southern Travel in the past week as a result of flu fears, with the prospect of more to come, said chief executive Jacqueline Walshe, the Dominion Post on Tuesday quoted the company's chief executive Jacqueline Walshe as saying.

An advisory notice from Japan's Education Ministry to schools to reconsider trips to New Zealand had had a major impact, Walshe said.

The managing director of another big large inbound tour operator agreed that the Japanese market had been hit severely, with some groups canceling and others postponing until later in the year.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said that, although there had been pockets of Influenza A/H1N1-related concern from other markets, Japan's reaction was the most significant.

The number of confirmed cases in New Zealand remained at five, with 12 probable cases.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2009)