At the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, it is estimated that the economic effect lost due to the inability to expect foreign spectators will amount to 150 billion yen.
The industry and volunteers, who were expecting an audience from overseas, have expressed disappointment and demanded support from the government.
Nomura Research Institute's executive economist, Takahide Kiuchi, estimates that the economic effect lost will be about 150 billion yen, based on the amount of consumption by foreign tourists before the spread of the new coronavirus infection. I am.
Furthermore, if the tickets sold are canceled and there is no domestic resale, ticket revenue of tens of billions of yen may be lost.
On the other hand, Yudai Suzuki economist of Daiwa Institute of Research estimates that the economic effect of 60 to 70 billion yen will be lost only by consumption expenditure excluding costs such as transportation and security.
Regarding the response to forgo the acceptance of spectators from overseas, a private economist commented, "It is a reasonable response considering the economic impact of accepting spectators and spreading the mutated virus in Japan." On the other hand, there is an opinion that "the opportunity to disseminate the charm of Japan to the world will decrease, and the expected increase in tourists may weaken."
Accommodation industry Calling for help from the country
The accommodation industry, which continues to suffer from difficult management, is calling for support from the government regarding the fact that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will not accept spectators from overseas.
JHAT, a hotel management company in Minato-ku, Tokyo, which was established three years ago, has been opening hotels mainly targeting foreign tourists.
Currently, we operate 19 hotels in Tokyo and Kyoto.
In order to allow families to stay for a long period of time, we have enhanced rooms for 4 or 5 people, equipped with a kitchen and washing machine, and also have a Japanese-style tatami room to create a Japanese-style atmosphere.
We have also hired foreign staff and hired 48 people from eight countries and regions, including China, Vietnam, France and Brazil.
This is 30% of the total staff.
Usage has been steadily increasing due to the solid inbound and the excitement of the tournament, but since last year, sales have dropped significantly, with sales falling below 10% of the initial assumption due to the impact of the new coronavirus.
Therefore, it is a pain to lose the acceptance of overseas customers.
From May this year to the end of the tournament, this company had reservations for about 349 million yen for spectators from overseas alone.
The fee has already been paid by overseas travel agencies, but it means that requests for refunds have begun to appear.
Although there is no obligation to refund under the contract, there is a risk that you will have to accept a certain amount of refund, which is a heavy burden in difficult management.
President Akira Hirabayashi said, "I would like to continue the business after Corona, but there is a risk that there will be a series of lodging companies going bankrupt. If that happens, there will be no accommodation facilities even if the inbound tourists recover, leading to a large economic loss. Now is the time to get a lot of support, such as refunds and subsidies for rent. "
Foreign-affiliated hotels that opened last year
Regarding the refusal to accept foreign spectators at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, a foreign-affiliated hotel that opened in Yokohama last May said, "I am very disappointed that I expected many spectators from overseas to stay." I am.
"Hyatt Regency Yokohama," a foreign-owned hotel in Naka-ku, Yokohama, which opened in May last year, is within walking distance of Yokohama Stadium, the venue for baseball and softball, and is close to the tourist destination of Yokohama Chinatown. Therefore, I was expecting the audience from overseas.
It was estimated that about half of the guests would be tourists from overseas during the Olympic Games.
Also, for the four days, companies with many overseas customers were planning to charter the hotel and hold a party at the banquet hall or hold a large-scale business meeting.
However, as the view that it is difficult to accept spectators from overseas has spread, we will focus on Japanese people and cooperate with travel agencies to sell accommodation plans with watching tickets. I am.
Takashi Saito, general manager, said, "I'm very sorry that I wanted everyone in the world to enjoy the hotel while watching the game. I continued to propose accommodation plans for Japanese tourists. I would like to open the business aiming for full occupancy. "
Disappointing voices from volunteers
Volunteers who have been preparing for language training and other activities have expressed disappointment about the fact that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will not accept spectators from overseas.
At the Tokyo Games, about 80,000 "Meeting Volunteers" at competition venues and more than 40,000 "Urban Volunteers" who provide transportation and sightseeing information to spectators are scheduled to be active.
Yuka Sugimatsu, a housewife in Shisui Town, Chiba Prefecture, who is one of the "city volunteers" (53) has learned Chinese online with her friends even during the spread of infection in order to guide foreign spectators visiting Narita City. , I wanted to make a map that makes the best use of my favorite illustrations and promote the charm of the city.
Mr. Sugimatsu said, "I wondered where the place of our activities would be, so that the audience from overseas would not come. I was satisfied with studying Chinese to do what I could do even after the tournament was postponed. I was shocked because I wanted to have a good tournament. "
On the other hand, "I'm feeling down, but until the end of the tournament, we are city volunteers. What we have accumulated is not wasted, and it is rude to athletes and friends, so now I will do what I can and will not be really disappointed until the tournament is gone. "
Students scheduled to volunteer "What we can do"
Mr. Kazuaki Seshita, a third-year student at the Faculty of International Liberal Arts, Sophia University, plans to use his English skills at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as a tournament volunteer.
In addition, he belonged to a university project team engaged in educational activities for the tournament, and was planning an event to disseminate Japanese culture to spectators visiting from overseas at the time of the tournament.
Regarding seeing off the acceptance of spectators from overseas, Mr. Seshita said, "It plays a big role as a volunteer to convey the culture and values peculiar to Japan to spectators from overseas, and on the contrary, to convey the splendor of overseas to Japanese people. I was disappointed when the tournament was postponed before, but I was preparing with the feeling that "I will do my best in a year", so I am disappointed as much as I expected this time as well. It made me feel good. "
On top of that, "I think it's still an international festival once every four years when the world becomes one. Even if it's difficult to actually interact with overseas audiences, people around the world through the Internet. We want to think about what we can do, such as planning an event where we can interact with each other. "
Railway industry "sorry" for inbound measures
Some railroad companies, which have been preparing for multilingual support, have expressed disappointment about the fact that the acceptance of spectators from overseas will be postponed at the Tokyo Games.
Keisei Electric Railway, which connects Narita Airport and Tokyo with the limited express "Skyliner," has many foreign users among the railways in the Greater Tokyo Area, and is rapidly preparing for multilingual support in order to meet inbound demand associated with the Tokyo Games. I proceeded with.
Among them, in addition to language training for station staff, in preparation for disasters and accidents, 480 patterns of automatic voice such as earthquakes and tsunamis were recorded in English, Chinese, and Korean, and "multilingual loudspeakers" were recorded at all 65 stations. We have also deployed it in Japan and trained how to use it.
In addition,
▽ a total of more than 130 translators that can handle more than 70 languages have been installed at the counters of all stations so that people from various countries can be welcomed.
▽ Limited express trains such as Narita Airport Station and Nippori Station At the stations where the trains stop, we have also hurriedly installed platform doors to prevent them from falling from the platform.
Takayuki Fukai, Chief of Railway Planning, Keisei Electric Railway Headquarters, said, "We have been making preparations, thinking that our response, which will be the first or last point of contact in Japan for visitors to Japan, will affect the impression of Japan. We have seen the tournament as a great opportunity for many foreigners to know the goodness of Japan and the charm of the railway lines. It is frankly disappointing that no spectators will come from abroad, but the efforts we have made will be Corona in the future. I want to make use of it when customers come from overseas again. "