Japan tourism numbers fell by 99.9% in April 2020 and plans are being made to welcome you back
UPDATE (22 May 2020, 9.08pm): We have updated this article to reflect the clarification that the Japanese government has plans in place to boost domestic travel by subsidising a portion of travel expenses for Japanese locals.
This story was previously referenced from an article by The Mainichi
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Many of us have had to cancel our travel plans to Japan this year. Especially with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the opening of the Super Nintendo World in Osaka, there was plenty to look forward to.
Japan saw a plunge of 99.9% in foreign travellers amid this global COVID-19 pandemic, with only 2,900 visitors in the entire month of April. This is largely due to its international ban put in place that extends to visitors from over 100 countries.
While it might be a while longer before it is safe to travel internationally again, Hiroshi Tabata of the Japan Tourism Agency has announced that they plan to introduce a US$12.5 Billion program to boost domestic travel within Japan.
As reported by The Japan Times, "The government is seeking to boost domestic tourism by subsidising a portion of travel expenses once the coronavirus outbreak is brought under control". But the Japanese government has not yet specified how this program will work, what expenses will be covered, or how the subsidies will be distributed. It is also reported that this programme might launch as soon as July if the infection rates continue to decline.
We’ll update with details as soon as they have been announced so stay tuned!
Photo by Ruth Troughton on Unsplash
Similarly, the national government of Sicily had earlier announced that they will be covering half of the flight and a third of the hotel expenses, with additional free tickets to museums and archaeological sites for visitors to the island.
This US$54 million initiative will be via the release of discount vouchers available on Sicily’s official tourism website once the lockdown comes to an end.
It’s not too early to plan your next visit
While borders are still closed, it’s never too early to start dreaming about your next visit to Japan! Here are some guides to get you inspired while the world is yours to explore later:
