Long island bridal expo 202112/29/2023 Travelers from the United Kingdom, China and Australia are the biggest spenders. This goal was formulated in the latest revision of the basic law to promote tourism, which was approved by the Cabinet in March 2023, and states that Japan is to target more inbound tourism of the wealthy to raise the general consumption level of tourists. The travel spending per inbound visitor now stands at an average of 200,000 yen (US$1338), fulfilling the policy goal set for 2025. In the second quarter of 2023, the total spending of inbound visitors reached 1.23 trillion yen (US$8.2 billion), nearly matching the 2019 spendings of the same period. The recent depreciation of the Japanese yen against the US dollar, euro and other currencies has supported this quick rebound. The number of inbound visitors in September 2023 hit 2.2 million - 96 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Half of Kyoto residents claimed that the city’s economic situation deteriorated significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic and hoped for tourism to rebound to pre-pandemic levels. Tourism hot spots still suffered from the absence of international travellers. This campaign was designed to increase domestic travel and mitigate hotel bankruptcies. Japan’s border-closure during the pandemic shifted the tourism industry from an economic stronghold to needing a stimulus package, most notably the ‘ Go To Travel’ campaign. In 2019, inbound tourists spent 4.8 trillion yen (US$32.1 billion), exceeding the 4 trillion yen (US$26.8 billion) generated by the export of semiconductors. Tourism’s political dimension can become salient, such as when visa regulations for wealthy Chinese individual travellers were eased in 2009, or when trips to the Tohoku area were promoted internationally to contribute to economic recovery after the 2011 Great Northeast Japan Earthquake. In 2008, the Japan Tourism Agency was created. The transport ministry’s 2003 ‘ Visit Japan Campaign’ and the 2006 introduction of the basic law to promote tourism firmly established tourism as a pillar for Japan’s economic development. During the prior seven years, from 2013, when Tokyo was selected as the host city for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the number of international visitors to Japan had more than tripled to almost 32 million in 2019. Japan closed its borders to inbound tourists from April 2020 to October 2022, bringing tourism industry to a complete halt. The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the situation. Though he did not win the race, his campaign highlighted the debate about mass tourism. In February 2020, Shoei Murayama, a long-time member of the Kyoto city assembly, ran his mayoral campaign on the main message that ‘ overtourism’ was detrimental to the ancient capital city. Shops and restaurants started catering to travellers rather than locals. But the sector triggered a dynamic of ‘tourism gentrification’ with locals being pushed out from the housing market since short-term holiday rentals are more lucrative to landlords. The 52 million visitors to Kyoto in 2018 spent 1.3 trillion yen ($US8.7 billion), generating almost a fifth of the city’s nominal GDP. Kyoto’s relationship with international tourism is complex. The rising number of international travellers strains local infrastructure and public manners have been termed ‘ sightseeing pollution’. Three quarters expressed concern over tourists’ behaviour, such as littering or eating while walking. In 2022, roughly 80 per cent of residents complained about public transport and the streets being overly filled with tourists. Next to the rollout of the city administration’s ‘mind your manners’ campaign, Kyoto has terminated its popular one-day bus pass to discourage tourists from using the city’s busses.Įxtended queueing times and jammed public transport have inconvenienced locals. Kyoto is bracing for another influx of tourists. Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the PacificĪuthors: Gabriele Vogt and Sian Qin, LMU Munich
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