Konnichi-wow!
Japan Airlines is offering free domestic flights within the island nation to international travelers – at a time when the manga capital of the world is experiencing an extreme influx in tourism, thanks in part to a significantly weakened yen.
The carrier said the purpose of the promotion is to promote Japan’s most inconvenient locations. The deal is available to people traveling from the US, Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, the Philippines, China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan.
Passengers must first book international return tickets and then book domestic flights with the same purchase to see the savings.
If they do not move from major hubs within 24 hours, passengers will be fined $100 in the form of a demurrage fee.
While the aim is to draw attention to underrated attractions outside the mainstream, experts fear things could backfire – leading to more people in already saturated areas.
As it is, World Travel and Tourism Council Research predicts that Japan will collect the equivalent of a record $42 billion in travel revenue before the end of the year.
This is 5.7% compared to 2019 – the last record holder.
“People will continue to flock to popular destinations like Tokyo, regardless of free tickets, because they are the main attractions,” Sara Aiko, founder of travel agency Curated Kyoto, told Business Insider.
“Hotel prices have skyrocketed due to tourism, making it difficult for many locals to stay in the places they once enjoyed,” said Aiko.
Ben Julius, founder of Tourism Japan, agrees, noting that almost all of his clients want to see icons like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Mount Fuji, where tourists have repeatedly irritated the local community.
“Most of the visitors are first-time visitors,” he said.
“And when people visit Japan for the first time, they won’t miss the must-see cities.”
On top of the potential setback, Japan travel consultant Amy Thomasson also thinks it could be a head-scratcher for tourists to eventually opt out.
She said it “doesn’t make sense for most travelers” because of the additional costs incurred by adding new destinations to their original itinerary, not to mention the potential departure fee if they choose not to.
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Image Source : nypost.com