HomeLatestJapan's companies brace for long-awaited return of vacationers

Japan’s companies brace for long-awaited return of vacationers

TOKYO, Sep 28 (straitstimes.com) –
Japan’s tourism business is opening for enterprise once more. From the streets of Kyoto to the slopes of Hokkaido, retailers, eating places and resorts are in search of to get better the income they misplaced through the pandemic with the return of abroad guests beginning Oct 11.

One of the final remaining wealthy economies with tight border controls, and with the yen at quarter-century lows towards the dollar, the archipelago is now an reasonably priced and enticing vacation spot for abroad guests.

That’s welcome aid after greater than 4,000 enterprises folded after retailers adopted curbs in early 2020 on working hours and the nation closed its borders to vacationers.

“When Covid hit, it was hard for us,” mentioned Kenya Katayama, mayor of Niseko, a ski resort on the northern island of Hokkaido that is common with skiers and snowboarders. “So far, winter reservations are doing well.”

Spending by inbound travellers totalled 4.8 trillion yen (S$47.7 billion) in 2019 earlier than lockdowns started, in response to Nomura Research Institute. The query now could be how a lot of that may come again, and the way quickly.

The archipelago topped the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index earlier this 12 months; Japanese airways are already ramping up worldwide flights.

Even so, there’s nonetheless some uncertainty. A restricted reopening in June for group excursions failed to draw any significant site visitors. That’s making it tough for tourist-facing companies to gauge the extent of demand.
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