Konichi-wow.
As hot destinations like Italy and Spain say “Basta!” And, well, “¡Basta!” The scourge of overtourism, one popular country apparently loves visitors so much they’re giving them free flights.
Japan Airlines is currently Paying for free domestic hops For international travelers within the island nation – at a time when even the manga capital of the world has experienced unprecedented levels of interest, Thanks largely to the weak yen,
The carrier said the promotion aims to promote Japan’s more traditional destinations. This deal is available for people traveling from the US, Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, Philippines, China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan.
To see the savings, travelers must first book international round-trip tickets and then book domestic flights with the same purchase.
Travelers failing to move through major hubs within 24 hours will be fined a $100 layover fee.
While the intention is to draw attention to less appreciated attractions outside the normal circuit, experts fear things could backfire – bringing more people to already saturated venues.
As it is, World Travel and Tourism Council Research Japan is projected to rake in a record-breaking $42B in travel revenue before the year is out.
This is up 5.7% compared to 2019 – the last record-holder.
“Regardless of free tickets, people will continue to flock to popular destinations like Tokyo because they are major attractions,” said Sara Aiko, founder of the Curated Kyoto travel agency. Told Business Insider,
“Tourism is causing hotel prices to skyrocket, making it difficult for many locals to stay in places they used to enjoy,” Aiko said.
Ben Julius, founder of Tourist Japan, agrees that almost all of his clients want to see the icons that tourists flock to, such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Mount Fuji. are continuously harassing the local community,
“Most of the visitors are first-time tourists,” he said.
“And when people visit Japan for the first time, they won’t forget the must-see cities.”
Aside from the potential reversal, Japan travel consultant Amy Thomson also thinks it could become a drag on tourists, causing them to ultimately opt out.
He said it “doesn’t make sense for most travelers” because of the extra costs incurred from adding new destinations to their original journey, not to mention potential layover fees if they choose not to do so. .
