• News
  • Travel
    • Cities & Places
    • Beaches
    • Maps
    • Festivals
    • Wildlife
    • Gallery
  • Crypto
  • Health

Japan Reopened Borders - But Visitors Find Hotels Understaffed And Shops Closed

71Shares
23.6KViews

After closing their borders due to the widespread of COVID-19, Japan reopened borders again. This week marks the beginning of Japan's full reopening to the tourism industry after two years of pandemic restrictions.

The country's hopes for an increase in tourism are, however, being undermined by the closure of businesses and a lack of available workers in the hospitality industry.

As of Tuesday, Japan will allow citizens to travel visa-free to dozens of other countries, bringing to an end some of the most stringent border controls in the world in an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is placing his hopes in tourism to assist in reviving the economy and gaining some benefits from the yen's recent decline to a level not seen in 24 years.

To date in 2022, Japan has welcomed slightly more than half a million tourists, compared to the all-time high of 31.8 million visitors in 2019. Before the coronavirus disrupted both events, the government's goal was to reach 40 million people in 2020, which was timed to coincide with the Summer Olympics.

COPYRIGHT_BUG: Published on https://www.bugbog.com/japan-reopened-borders/ by Velma Battle on 2022-10-18T09:47:07.731Z

Last week, Kishida stated that the government's goal is to attract annual tourist spending of 5 trillion yen, which is equivalent to 34.5 billion euros. However, there is a possibility that this target is too lofty for an industry that has shrunk in size because of the pandemic.

Reports by the Nomura Research Institute economist Takahide Kiuchi, spending from tourists from other countries will only amount to 2.1 trillion yen (approximately €14.9 billion) by the year 2023 and won't surpass pre-COVID levels until 2025.

Nikkei newspaper stated that Japan Airlines Co president Yuji Akasaka said last week that inbound bookings have tripled since the border easing announcement. Even so, he believes that international travel demand will not fully recover until around 2025.

Narita Airport, which is Japan's largest international airport and is located approximately 70 kilometers from Tokyo, has an eerie stillness to it despite the fact that approximately half of its 260 shops and restaurants are closed.

Maria Satherley, who is 70 years old and hails from New Zealand, makes this observation about the departure area of Terminal 1. She said that It was like half a ghost town.

Satherley, whose son resides on the island of Hokkaido in Japan's northernmost region, expressed that she and her granddaughter would like to visit Japan this winter, but it is unlikely that they will because the child is too young to be vaccinated, which is a requirement for foreign visitors entering the country.

She said that they are just going to hold off until the following year. Sawato Shindo, the president of Amina Collection Co., has stated that the company has closed all three of its souvenir shops located in Narita and that it is unlikely to reopen them before the spring of next year.

As part of its effort to shift its focus from international to domestic tourism during the pandemic, the company transferred employees and supplies from the airport to other locations in the chain of 120 shops it operates across Japan.

Shindo believes that there will not be an immediate return to the state of affairs that prevailed prior to the pandemic. When compared to those in other countries, the restrictions are still quite stringent.

This month, the Japanese government will launch a domestic travel initiative that will offer discounts on transportation and accommodation. This initiative will be very similar to the Go To Travel campaign that was launched in 2020 but was halted due to an increase in the number of COVID infections.

Traditional inn owner Arata Sawa is one of the people who is looking forward to the arrival of overseas visitors, who once made up as much as 90 percent of the establishment's clientele.

Sawa, the third-generation owner of the Sawanoya ryokan in Tokyo, says that he is hoping and anticipating that a large number of visitors from other countries will come to Japan in the same way that they did before COVID.

As per a survey conducted by Teikoku Databank, in August, nearly 73% of hotels across the country reported that they were experiencing a shortage of regular workers. This number is up significantly from the 27% who reported the same issue in July.

According to a consultant for tourism companies who asked not to be identified, it may be difficult to entice former service workers to return to the industry because many of them have found better working conditions and wages in other fields over the past two years.

Final Words

The hospitality industry is very well known for having very low wages, he continues, so if the government views tourism as an important industry, financial support or subsidies are probably required.

Share: Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin

About The Authors

Velma Battle

Velma Battle - Travelling Expert

Recent Articles

  • Mexico Too Risky For Spring Break - Texas Officials Say

    News

    Mexico Too Risky For Spring Break - Texas Officials Say

    Texas officials say, Mexico too risky for spring break. Due to safety concerns, local authorities in the state of Texas have warned citizens of the United States not to travel to Mexico over the spring break vacations.

  • The Most And Least Hospitable Nations In The World In 2023

    News

    The Most And Least Hospitable Nations In The World In 2023

    Have you ever thought about the most and least hospitable nations in the world in 2023? A trip to a foreign nation is guaranteed to be an unforgettable adventure, but it may also be nerve-racking if you aren't sure how friendly the natives will be when you arrive there.

  • Taiwan To Pay Their Visitors This Year

    News

    Taiwan To Pay Their Visitors This Year

    Taiwan to pay their visitors this year. Taiwan has long been a popular destination for travelers seeking a unique blend of culture, cuisine, and natural beauty. However, in recent years, the island nation has faced a decline in tourism due to various factors, including political tensions with China and the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Traveling To Las Vegas - Essential Things To Know Before Traveling

    Cities & Places

    Traveling To Las Vegas - Essential Things To Know Before Traveling

    Traveling to Las Vegas may be one the things that is included in your bucket list. Las Vegas is a vibrant and bustling city, located in the heart of the Nevada desert. It's known as the entertainment capital of the world, famous for its glittering casinos, luxurious resorts, and world-class shows.

  • First Visit To France - Packing For Your Travel To France

    Cities & Places

    First Visit To France - Packing For Your Travel To France

    So what are the things to consider on your first visit to France? Traveling to France for the first time can be an exciting and daunting experience. With so much to see and do in this beautiful country, it can be challenging to know what to pack for your trip. Here are some tips to help you pack for your first visit to France.

  • Best Beaches To Visit In Turkey - Discover The Beauty Of Turkey

    Beaches

    Best Beaches To Visit In Turkey - Discover The Beauty Of Turkey

    Today we will talk about the best beaches to visit in Turkey. Turkey is a country that is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. With a long coastline that stretches across two seas and several smaller bodies of water, Turkey has something for everyone when it comes to beaches.

  • The Sicilian Hotel Where "White Lotus" Was Shot Offers 25% Off

    News

    The Sicilian Hotel Where "White Lotus" Was Shot Offers 25% Off

    The Sicilian hotel where "White Lotus" was shot offers 25% off. The HBO hit series "The White Lotus" has been the talk of the town ever since its premiere in July 2021. The show takes place at the fictional White Lotus hotel, but did you know that the hotel is actually based on a real hotel in Sicily?

  • 5 Jaw-Dropping Landscapes In The Golden Circle You Have To See To Believe

    Cities & Places

    5 Jaw-Dropping Landscapes In The Golden Circle You Have To See To Believe

    Iceland’s Golden Circle is a must-see for any traveller, as it boasts some of the most incredible and awe-inspiring landscapes in the world. From the spouting geysers of Geysir to the mighty Gullfoss waterfall, the Golden Circle in Iceland is full of amazing sights.

  • Travel Ads To Look Out For During Super Bowl LVII

    News

    Travel Ads To Look Out For During Super Bowl LVII

    So what are the travel ads to look out for during super bowl LVII? The Super Bowl is one of the most watched sporting events in the United States, attracting millions of viewers from all over the world.

  • Hong Kong Will Distribute 500,000 Free Airline Tickets - Bold Move To Boost Tourism Industry

  • The UNESCO World Heritage List Now Added Three More Sites Deemed In Danger

  • Luggage Left At The Baggage Claim - What Really Happens To Them?

  • The Different Types Of Bitcoin Faucets

  • Things To Do In Rome - Suggestions You Need To Consider