Before the acceptance of foreign tourists resumes on the 10th, tourism-related dispatching companies have started to secure staff because there are cases where specialized guides who can also interpret are changed jobs due to the influence of the new corona. I am.
From the 10th, the acceptance of foreign tourists will be resumed for 98 countries and regions, limited to tour guides.
Prior to this, tourism-related personnel dispatch companies are moving to secure human resources, anticipating that the need for a nationally qualified tourist guide "national interpreter guide" who has language skills and learned the history and culture of Japan will increase. ..
Many interpreter guides have started another job due to the significant decrease in jobs after the spread of the new corona infection, and about half of the 70 people registered with this company can accompany the tour now. Therefore, since the end of last month, the person in charge has been proceeding with inquiries to registrants and interviews with new applicants.
Yasuyuki Mori, director of the Tokyo sales office of the dispatching company "ESTES" headquartered in Hiroshima, said, "It is difficult for the company to secure an interpreter guide from scratch, but we are happy to announce that it will be accepted again." Was there.
On the other hand, according to the national guidelines, tour operators are calling on tour operators to avoid wearing masks and three crowds, and Director Mori said, "Before Corona, we concentrated on hospitality and operated the tour. , I have to take thorough measures against corona, so I feel that the burden is heavy. "
Travel agency “It takes time to recover full-scale demand”
A travel agency in Tokyo, which plans tours from East Asia, welcomes the resumption of acceptance of foreign tourists, but on the other hand, it requires unprecedented procedures such as obtaining a visa locally, so it will recover full-scale tourism demand. I think it will take some time.
At the travel agency "ATS Tour" in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President Eiji Asakura was exchanging information online with staff in South Korea on the 8th.
In order to visit Japan on a tour in the future, you can register your name, address, e-mail address, etc. in the "ERFS" = immigrant health confirmation system established by the Japanese government after the 10th, and obtain a visa locally. You are required to do.
This company also receives many inquiries from Korean travel agencies, but it means that there are more practical questions about procedures than travel consultations.
A staff member staying in South Korea said, "Many people want to travel to Japan because the distance is short and the medical system is in place. However, many people find it bothersome to get a visa, so look at the company and the situation that they want to go immediately. About half of the companies are there. There are also inquiries about autumn and next year, which I expected to simplify the procedure. "
In addition, if a person feels sick on the tour, a travel agency is required to see a doctor at a medical institution, and if the result is positive, health observation and dietary support are required.
President Asakura said, "I'm frankly happy to resume acceptance, but I'm most afraid that there will be positive people. It is also necessary to confirm that the accommodation facilities and places to stop by are well-prepared for infection control. "
Guest house “Expectations for relaxation of restrictions”
Foreign tourists who will resume acceptance from the 10th are limited to tour guides, so accommodations used by individual travelers are calling for relaxation of restrictions.
The guesthouse in Taito-ku, Tokyo is close to Asakusa and Ueno, and before the spread of the new corona, it was used by about 10,000 people a year, mainly tourists from Europe and the United States, and there was a lot of interaction between guests.
Due to the spread of the infection, we were forced to take a leave of absence for more than two years, but before the resumption of acceptance of foreign tourists from the 10th, we resumed accepting Internet reservations, cleaned and replaced sheets, etc. , I started preparing to resume business.
We have received many inquiries about staying at this facility again, but for the time being, we are limited to tourists with tour guides, so we have not made any reservations yet.
Shinichiro Harano, the owner of "Hostel Bedgasm", hopes to relax the restrictions so that non-tourists can visit Japan. I'm worried. I often hear that the business was closed at a similar facility, but I think it's important for tourism in Japan to keep a small facility like ourselves and be ready to accept it. " Was there.