New Travel Discounts Seek to Boost Earthquake-Stricken Region in Japan
Japan’s government is rolling out a new discount package to rejuvenate tourism in the earthquake-affected Hokuriku area.
2024 promises to be a radiant year for Japanese tourism, with projections exceeding the long-awaited recovery of 2023. The Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) anticipates a record-breaking 33.1 million foreign visitors (+131.3% from 2023) and 273 million domestic travelers (+97.2% from 2023). While the future looks bright overall, the Hokuriku region, including Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, and Niigata, might not see the same surge in visitors.
In the aftermath of the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, the government is sponsoring new travel discount packages to support tourism recovery in the region. The packages will be available to inbound foreign tourists as well. However, not everyone’s on board with the plan.
A ray of hope for 2024 Hokuriku tourism
The plan — the “Hokuriku Support Discount” — comes in the wake of consecutive cancellations and a significant drop in visitor numbers in earthquake-hit prefectures. This initiative seeks to alleviate the…
