Travel packages that include entertainment services provided by hired female companions will be excluded from the government's Go To Travel tourism support program from Nov. 6, the Japan Tourism Agency announced on Thursday.
Currently, tour packages that include services by companions at banquets in hotels or other locations at travel destinations are subsidized by the program, but it has raised questions as being dubious. Companions provide services such as chatting with customers and serving drinks.
The tourism agency investigated what the services actually entailed, and determined that the main purpose of having companions was to provide entertainment, which is not in line with the objectives of the program from the perspective of preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Furthermore, the agency has requested that the companies stop selling such tour packages.
The Go To Travel subsidy can be applied to the lodging portion of a package, if comprehensive virus prevention measures are taken and a clear distinction is made between the cost of entertainment and the cost of lodging.
The agency said it will continue to make decisions on exclusions from the Go To Travel program based on the intent of the respective travel package.
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