INTERVIEW: Japan Wants Foreign Visitors to Spend More

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)--The Japan National Tourism Organization hopes for an increase in per capita spending by foreign travelers for the revitalization of the country’s tourism industry, JNTO President Satoshi Seino has said.

Inbound tourism demand is recovering “steadily at the moment” after a drop caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Seino said in a recent interview.

Meanwhile, he voiced concerns about personnel shortages in the industry, including at “ryokan” Japanese-style inns.

Seino welcomed a surge in the number of visitors to Japan following a drastic relaxation of COVID-19 border control measures last autumn, saying, “Japan is popular after all.”

At the same time, he said that the growth “may stop” due to a lack of ryokan and hotel workers, especially in rural areas, airport ground staff and other travel-related personnel.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]