Amid the sharp decline in the number of Japanese taking overseas trips, travel agencies are opening novelty branches to lure customers.

These regionally themed branches, the travel industry hopes, will offset fears stemming from the conflict in Iraq and the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome. The new outlets are staffed with agents who specialize in a particular part of the world.

One such office is Kinki Nippon Tourist Co.'s recently opened Europe Tour Pavilion in Tokyo's Yurakucho district. The outlet specializes in tours to European countries.

The staff members, which include former tour conductors, know a lot about European travel. They can adequately meet the needs of even the most well-traveled customers, manager Shigeyuki Iida said.

A variety of events are held at the office, such as a recent German bread- and beer-tasting party.

Kinki Nippon Tourist intends to let the office organize original tours, hoping to make it the company's main branch for European travel.

The Europe Tour Pavilion followed the opening of the Asia Tour Pavilion in January and the China 5,000-Year Club early this month. All are designed to provide specialized advice on specific tour destinations.

H.I.S. Co. joined the trend with the opening of its Travel Wonderland Shinjuku, also in central Tokyo. At the branch, the agency offers to coordinate specialized travel, including overseas study trips and barrier-free travel for disabled people.

Other travel agencies have renovated their outlets to make them look posh.

JTB Corp. opened Viaggio Shiodome, which resembles a lounge in a luxury hotel, in Tokyo's Shiodome redevelopment area.

Experienced staff members offer travel advice in a relaxed atmosphere. The branch targets well-traveled female customers in their 30s.

JTB, the nation's largest travel agency, is considering "an agent-appointment system and making sales staff more visible," said Naoto Imazu, marketing manager at Viaggio Shiodome. "We aim to become one of the largest sales offices in Tokyo in about three years."

Tokyu Tourist Corp. has opened cafes in some of its offices to allow customers to study travel plans over a cup of brew.

JTB expects the number of overseas travelers during the coming Golden Week holidays to plummet by 35 percent from last year.

Aside from just safety fears, travel agencies are also fending off the negative effects of the Internet. Many people are booking cheap international flights and researching hotels and sightseeing options via the Web.

In these circumstances, Japanese travel agencies are engaged in ever-intensifying competition for customers.