With travel restrictions imposed on tourists from abroad, the novel coronavirus pandemic is taking a toll on tourism in Hokkaido, causing the closure of many minpaku private lodging providers in Sapporo.

As the situation continues to prove challenging for those offering accommodation, a Sapporo-based association of private housing providers launched a campaign recently aiming to attract domestic travelers from across the nation.

Under the campaign, which is partially subsidized by the city of Sapporo, visitors will be given discounts of ¥2,000 per person for an overnight minpaku stay as well as ¥2,000 worth of meal coupons. The campaign will be limited to 4,000 people on a first-come, first-served basis.