With the relaxation of restrictions on activities and border measures of the new coronavirus, tourist spots are back to being bustling with foreign tourists.
There are still three weeks until the long holidays, but some accommodations are seeing an increase in bookings faster than the person in charge expected.
Narita Airport is almost at the same level as before Corona
In response to the recovery in demand for aviation, the arrival lobby of Narita Airport was crowded with many foreigners with cameras hanging from their necks and carrying suitcases.
According to the Narita Airport Branch of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau, the number of people entering the country per day has been at almost the same level as in 1 before the corona disaster since late March.
In addition to the increase in foreign tourists, we believe that the large number of international students and foreigners who start working in the Japan has had an effect, and the immigration inspection area of Terminal 3 was crowded when arriving flights overlapped.
Until now, one of the two immigration inspection areas had been closed due to the decrease in passengers due to the corona disaster, but from the 2019th, measures were taken to reopen it for the first time in three years.
A man who visited with his wife from Singapore said, "I love Japan, but I couldn't come because of Corona, so I'm looking forward to going to see Amanohashidate in Kyoto."
A man who arrived from Canada said, "It's been four years since I came to Japan, and the food is delicious and the people are kind Japan, and I'm very happy to be able to come back."
Fully booked by foreign tourists
Some hotels in Tokyo are full of foreign individual tourists every day.
The hotel in Asakusa, Tokyo, which is actively accepting inbound tourists, has been almost full every day since March, and many suitcases of guests were left in the cloakroom, and foreign tourists visited one after another at check-in time.
A woman from Brazil said, "I like Japan, this is my first time here, and the price is just right."
In addition, a man and a woman who travel from Denmark to various countries said, "The price is a little higher than in Vietnam and Thailand, but if I ate lunch in the city, it was cheaper than Denmark.
This hotel opened three years ago in the hope of attracting foreign guests, such as using patterns with onomatopoeia from manga on the beds and walls.
However, there was a time when the impact of the corona disaster hit directly and the museum was closed, and the accommodation fee was in the 3 yen range. Currently, it has been raised to around 3000,1 yen per night, which is close to the price originally expected.
Long holidays "early start"
The number of reservations for long holidays has already increased by more than 7%, more than double the pace of the same period last year.
There are many foreign tourists, and more than half of them are domestic tourists.
General Manager Yukari Ara said, "The reservation situation for the long holidays is very different from last year, and hotel prices have been rising little by little since last autumn as the number of foreign tourists has increased."
Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture is relatively close to the city center and is visited by many tourists every year.
According to the Tourism Association, reservations for long holidays are earlier than last year.
Even ryokans with more than 100 rooms have been fully booked since last month, and about 9% of the long holidays are currently filled, which is faster than last year. Some rooms have been renovated to coincide with the long holidays, and we hope to lead to a recovery in sales, which have been hit so far.
There are concerns about labor shortages
On the other hand, the problem is the shortage of workers. The number of employees that were reduced due to the impact of the new coronavirus has not yet returned.
As the number of guests increases, it may take longer than before to provide drinks at the banquet hall, so employees in charge of reservations and sales are also responding by providing support.
Masaki Kakinuma, who is in charge of reservation operations, said, "Last year, the rooms were fully booked at the last minute, but this year they were fully booked quite early, and I feel that many people want to go out with everyone on consecutive holidays.
Have fun with location and duration "staggered"
Aviation and travel analyst Takataro Toriumi says that compared to last year's pre-Corona situation, the domestic flow of people during the long holidays was about 7% compared to before Corona, but this year it may be the same as before the Corona period, or even higher depending on the location of accommodation reservations.
In addition, the price of accommodation has increased by about 3% ~ 5% compared to last year, and in some places it is more than twice as much.
Long holidays are expected to be crowded in various places.
The key word that Chokai mentions as a way to enjoy it is "staggering." Unlike the Corona disaster, it means staggering to avoid crowds.
First, the location. For example, if you look for accommodation 2~20 minutes away by train from urban areas and popular tourist spots, there are still vacant rooms and you can book them at relatively reasonable prices.
And the period too. In addition to the first half of the long holidays, on May 30 and 5, you may be able to stay cheaper than the pre-corona level.
In addition, events such as "food festivals" held in parks are scheduled to resume in various places this year, so he advises you to have a good time by referring to these events.
Mr. Toriumi said, "For example, I think it is good to stay for 1~2 nights in the first half of a consecutive holiday, and then go to an event that you can enjoy on a day trip in the second half."