Tokyo: JapanThe U.S. government announced on Tuesday that it would begin allowing small package tours of four countries later this month, before gradually opening up for foreign tourism for the first time, as it tightened restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Border restrictions were imposed.
Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito said tourism would be allowed from Australia, Singapore, Thailand and United States of america as an experiment.
Participants must be triple-vaccinated and tours must have guides and fixed itineraries, Japan Tourism Agency said. The government agency said that each tour can hold up to four people, and a total of 50 participants are expected to participate in the experiment.
The results will be used to compile coronavirus guidelines for tour operators, hotels and other related businesses, it said.
The experiment is expected to begin next week and continue through the end of May. The agency said other details including the duration and destination of the tours are still to be decided.
Japan’s tourism industry, badly hit by strict border controls, is eager to restart foreign tourism. COVID-19 infections have slowed in Japan since the beginning of this year and the government is gradually expanding social and economic activities.
After facing criticism that its strict border controls were xenophobic, Japan began easing restrictions earlier this year and currently allows entry to up to 10,000 people per day from abroad, including Japanese citizens, foreign students and some business travelers. The government is reportedly considering doubling the daily cap to 20,000 in the coming weeks. At present, foreign tourists are not allowed to enter.
Prime minister fumio kishida He said in a speech during a visit to London earlier this month that he plans to ease border controls in early June in line with the policies of others. group of seven industrialized countries, but did not give any further details.
Foreign tourist arrivals fell more than 90% in 2020 from a record 31.9 million a year ago, wiping out a pre-pandemic inbound tourism market of more than nearly 4 trillion yen ($31 billion).
Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito said tourism would be allowed from Australia, Singapore, Thailand and United States of america as an experiment.
Participants must be triple-vaccinated and tours must have guides and fixed itineraries, Japan Tourism Agency said. The government agency said that each tour can hold up to four people, and a total of 50 participants are expected to participate in the experiment.
The results will be used to compile coronavirus guidelines for tour operators, hotels and other related businesses, it said.
The experiment is expected to begin next week and continue through the end of May. The agency said other details including the duration and destination of the tours are still to be decided.
Japan’s tourism industry, badly hit by strict border controls, is eager to restart foreign tourism. COVID-19 infections have slowed in Japan since the beginning of this year and the government is gradually expanding social and economic activities.
After facing criticism that its strict border controls were xenophobic, Japan began easing restrictions earlier this year and currently allows entry to up to 10,000 people per day from abroad, including Japanese citizens, foreign students and some business travelers. The government is reportedly considering doubling the daily cap to 20,000 in the coming weeks. At present, foreign tourists are not allowed to enter.
Prime minister fumio kishida He said in a speech during a visit to London earlier this month that he plans to ease border controls in early June in line with the policies of others. group of seven industrialized countries, but did not give any further details.
Foreign tourist arrivals fell more than 90% in 2020 from a record 31.9 million a year ago, wiping out a pre-pandemic inbound tourism market of more than nearly 4 trillion yen ($31 billion).