In an announcement Friday by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry on a review of its tourism support and subsidy campaign "Go To Travel," accommodation facilities are requested to confirm whether travelers live in Tokyo when they check in. It was also announced that residents of Tokyo and those traveling to Tokyo will not be eligible for the subsidy, including those who have already made reservations. The campaign will start from Wednesday as scheduled in all prefectures except Tokyo.
The campaign offers discounts of up to 35% on travel expenses. Starting in September, vouchers worth up to 15% of travel expenses will be distributed and can be used at souvenir shops and tourist facilities. The move is aimed at supporting the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the spread of novel coronavirus infections.
Tokyo has been excluded from the list as the number of infected people per day in the capital hit record highs in July. While calls are growing to review the start of the campaign, requests are also mounting for support of the tourism industry. As a result, Tokyo has been excluded from the scope of the campaign.
For the time being, all travel to and from Tokyo will ineligible for discounts. To determine whether a person is a Tokyo resident or not, a certificate of residence is used for authentication. When a trip is booked, the customer's address is confirmed at the travel agency's shop or by its website. Travelers who do not comply with the rule are unable to receive the subsidized travel offerings.
At lodging facilities, each guest is asked to present an identification card such as a drivers' license or health insurance card upon check-in.
Although cancellations have been increasing on travel arrangements for which discounts were expected, it is unlikely that the government will cover the cancellation fees incurred. Tokyo's future inclusion in the campaign will be decided based on infection conditions and expert opinions.
Those traveling to the Tokyo metropolitan area will not be eligible for a discount if they use an accommodation facility within borders of Tokyo.
For example, a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort (TDR) in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, will not be subsidized if the traveler stays at a hotel in Tokyo. Travel plans that include a hotel stay in Chiba Prefecture and also touring inside Tokyo, such as the Tokyo Sky Tree in Sumida Ward, will also be excluded from the scheme.
On the other hand, those who only travel through Tokyo's on its transportation networks will be eligible for subsidies. If a resident of Fukuoka Prefecture lands at Haneda Airport in Ota Ward, Tokyo, and then directly goes to TDR, they are considered eligible. If a resident of Saitama Prefecture travels outside of Tokyo via Shinkansen from Tokyo Station, they will also be eligible to the discount.
-- Further measures including group tours
Travel agencies and accommodation facilities including hotels will be required to check the temperatures and identities of all guests, restrict access and time to restaurants and baths, and establish a system to contact public health centers. Hotels and other businesses must disclose on their websites or at the front desk that they are taking steps to prevent infections.
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Friday, "It is advisable to refrain from group travel for the young, and also for the elderly who are prone to become seriously ill."
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