A new travel discount program introduced by the Tokyo metropolitan government to support local tourism has so far attracted a flood of reservations, but only to some of the plans it covers.
The program is so far not proving very beneficial for some other plans, especially those offered by small and midsize businesses.
Called Motto Tokyo (Enjoy Tokyo more), the discount program was launched Oct. 23, and some plans immediately sold out. Motto Tokyo is aimed at Tokyo residents and covers destinations in the capital.
Other local governments have introduced various similar measures to help support tourism businesses that have been hit hard by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Experts call for such measures to bring about a lasting effect, not a temporary one.
A plan by the Hotel New Otani in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, sold out in about two hours after it was offered under the program. It includes an overnight stay in a triple room, which costs about 30,000 yen per night.
When three persons stay in the room, a discount of 5,000 yen per person is provided, or 15,000 yen total. If the central government's Go To Travel tourism promotion campaign is also used, there is a further discount of 35% of the room charge, or about 10,000, yen and a coupon worth 5,000 yen is provided.
"Guests can stay at our hotel effectively for free. It's a great bargain," an official of the hotel said. The monthly occupancy rate of the hotel sometimes dropped to less than 50% from March on. "I hope people will come back to our hotel by making use of this program."
Many of the rooms offered through online reservation sites were also sold out.
AirTrip set aside rooms for 1,000 stays at accommodation facilities, including affiliates, in Tokyo. They were sold out in about two hours.
"I can't find reservation sites for the program," a male company employee, 42, from Koto Ward said in disappointment. He had been planning to use the Tokyo discount program.
The metropolitan government had received hundreds of inquiries about the program by Oct. 28. "There are many businesses that will start offering their plans from now," said a metropolitan government official in charge, asking for users' understanding.
Smaller businesses complain
The Tokyo program covers stays that cost 6,000 yen or more per person before application of the Go To Travel campaign. The 6,000 yen limit is set higher than the program's uniform subsidy of 5,000, yen so that users do pay a certain amount of money.
This measure, however, has not been beneficial for some businesses, especially those that have targeted backpackers and made efforts to provide rooms for very affordable prices.
The Hotel New Tochigiya in the Asakusa district of Taito Ward offers a single room for 4,000 yen per night. This month, when trips to and from Tokyo were added to the Go To Travel campaign, the hotel started offering package plans that include dinner at a local fugu restaurant and cost 10,000 yen or more per person, aiming to attract people who tend to choose luxury hotels.
However, only a few reservations have come in.
"The benefits [of the program] have not spread to inexpensive hotels like ours," said Shuichi Ebiharam, owner of the hotel.
The Asuka Ryoko travel agency in Suginami Ward has prepared rooms for 200 stays but received reservations only for 40. The agency accepts reservations by phone and in person, not online.
"Most users of the [Tokyo] program use online sites when making reservations. I don't feel the program has helped midsize and small travel agencies like us very much," said agency president Kichisaburo Murayama.
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