Japan's tourist sector will take a new path, after COVID-19

DNHN - Before the epidemic, Japan's tourism was booming, with a record 31.8 million tourists in 2019. But it is all in the past; more than two important events have transpired. The country's inherent tourist numbers have been wiped away by pandemic, stringent tactics.

Hachinohe, located less than three hours by bullet train north of Tokyo, has a lot to offer travellers. Cozy pubs and eateries line the historic alleyways.

City leaders believe that if the government opens up more to overseas tourists, tourism in small communities would increase.

"I hope the Japanese government will take steps to boost domestic travel again," Masanori Nishino, spokesperson for Visit Hachinohe, a local tourist development organization, said.

Before the epidemic, tourism in Japan was booming, with a record 31.8 million tourists in 2019. Much of this expansion occurred when the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated the goal of transforming Japan into "nationally focused tourism."

Tourism income in 2019 was 4.8 trillion yen ($34.5 billion at current currency rates), which is greater than the export value of several of Japan's important industrial sectors, such as electronic components (4 trillion yen) and (3.1 trillion yen).

But it is all in the past. More than two years into the epidemic, the country's intrinsic tourist numbers have been wiped away.

Experts argue that while Japan takes moves to revitalize this business, it must carefully decide which destinations to prioritize. Lesser-known sites such as Hachinohe might play a significant role.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's commitment to freeing borders and capitalizing on tourism advantages shows the current main challenge. The May World Economic Forum travel and calendar was released. World Economic Forum praised the country's culture and airport infrastructure.

Kishida's administration began permitting foreign tourists to visit on tour in June, but only if a guide is present. The prime minister has not committed to further relaxing the regulations, and the recent outbreak of COVID-19 cases has cast doubt on the measures' long-term viability.

Even though daily instances climbed last week, Kishida recently stated that he would not strengthen border restrictions again. Tourism is a cornerstone of the government's economic plan and an "essential to the region's development," according to the government.

Tourism may also assist the country's economy in overcoming challenges created by a shrinking population. According to government figures, Japan's overall population decreased by 0.51 per cent in October last year compared to the same month the previous year, the country's worst drop on record.

Hachinohe is one of several cities that has suffered a population reduction. After 16 years of decline, the city will have just 223,000 citizens in 2021. A retail store here closed after 50 years of operation in April of this year.

Addressing these demographic issues might help rejuvenate Japan's economy while alleviating some of the strains of "overtourism" in major tourist areas, particularly if Japan The town will still exceed 60 million tourists by 2030 as it did before the outbreak.

According to experts, the flood of tourists visiting Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo has overwhelmed residents, with Kyoto's peaceful temples frequently crowded with tourists taking pictures. Other places, though, are not like that.

According to a 2019 Japan Tourism Agency poll, 47 per cent of travellers stop in Tokyo and 39 per cent visit Osaka. However, for over half of the country's 47 counties, the percentage is 1% or less. Only 0.7 per cent of those polled had visited Aomori Prefecture.

According to Joseph Cheer, a professor at the University of Wakayama's Center for Tourism Research, the government should pay greater attention to other minor locations in the post-COVID age.

"What is truly needed in terms of long-term planning is a strategy that looks at distributing tourists to more destinations around the country rather than having them focused in certain places," Cheer adds. This must be supplemented by government assistance in infrastructure development, training, and preparing local sites to welcome foreign tourists."

English language training for workers at attractions and traditional inns, as well as financial incentives for entrepreneurs to enhance rural tourism, might be examples of support approaches. "Visitors may explore more Japanese culture and food in rural locations, not just in the main city core," Cheer remarked.

COVID-19 has transformed the travel sector, according to experts, in addition to border limitations. We see prospects in the rapidly growing internet travel market. During the epidemic, internet tours were popular as a temporary solution for dealing with "travel junkies." 

According to Norihiko Imaizumi, a senior fellow at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, these digital rides might provide a doorway to actual travel. This prospective industry will attract a big number of rich tourists who want to experience travel online before visiting a tourist spot in person.

Even as new prospects emerge, industry observers expect ongoing challenges, since Japan is largely reliant on East Asian tourism.

In 2019, China alone accounted for 30 per cent of total visits. South Korea comes in second with 17%. Including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the two nations mentioned above, visitors from these four countries accounted for around 70% of total visitors to Japan in the same year.

According to Imaizumi, this is an over-dependence on individual economies. "From a risk-adjustment standpoint, it is vital to eliminate this dependency," he stated.

South Korean tourism to Japan declined 26% year on year in 2019, as bilateral ties worsened. Furthermore, because of China's firm attitude on COVID-19 containment and travel restrictions, Japan cannot expect a resurgence of Chinese visitors very soon.

This is not to say that Japan should forsake these markets in East Asia. Tourism has the potential to assist define a country's image and even enhance its diplomatic "climate." "If visitors have a nice view of Japan and appreciate Japan, it will have a beneficial influence on political and diplomatic matters," Imaizumi added.

The Japanese government is fully aware of the tourist industry's potential strength. According to the government, this business "plays a significant role in improving Japan's standing in the eyes of the world community."

Experts, however, emphasize the need for balance. Professor Cheer said that Japan should focus on other regional markets such as Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, whereas Imaizumi indicated that boosting the number of visitors from Europe, the United States, and Australia would assist.

"I believe that what the Japanese government has to consider in planning is the development of tourism from nations close to us," Cheer added. The benefit of focusing on these markets is that they are close to Japan, the flight route is short, and the ticket price is reasonable."

He went on to say that the majority of ASEAN nations have a lot of respect and affection for the Japanese people and culture

"Come Visit Hachinohe," the local promotion group, has conducted marketing initiatives in the United Kingdom, France, and Taiwan to get travel companies and the media to participate.

Despite border limitations, US travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler named Hachinohe one of the world's top holiday spots for 2022 last year, saying that "the place is, unfortunately, being ignored." Future Japanese initiatives, however, promise to change this.

Bao Bao