Travel agencies rush to meet COVID-19 guidelines as Japan reopens for tourism

Japan opened its borders to inbound travelers on guided tours Friday, with tourism minister Tetsuo Saito saying that tourists will begin arriving in the country as early as next week. But with so many arrangements required to meet government guidelines released earlier this week, it will take time before Japanese airports swarm with overseas travelers again.

Before the influx begins, Japan's travel agencies are poring over the nitty-gritty details to make sure all mandatory changes to their tours are in compliance with the new guidelines.

“We’ve received many inquiries from overseas travel agencies wanting to host tours (with us), so we are considering how they can be conducted based on the guidelines,” said Harumi Kagawa, spokesperson for KNT-CT Holdings Co., the holding company for major travel agency Kinki Nippon Tourist Co.

“There are additional things we need to do. By checking items off one by one, we hope it will lead to the next step” of easing of border restrictions even further, said Kagawa.

Kinki Nippon Tourist, JTB Corp. and other Japanese companies in the tourism industry plan to partner with like-minded agencies overseas, who will create and sell an itinerary to customers in the countries where they operate, then Japanese agencies will oversee the tour once those customers arrive in Japan.

According to a joint survey conducted in October by the Development Bank of Japan and the Japan Travel Bureau Foundation think tank, Japan ranked at the top of countries the approximately 6,000 respondents across Asia, the United states, Europe and Australia wanted to visit.

But before the tours can begin, they need to make sure that all prospective travelers understand the guidelines. The first step is to apply for a visa. But the process takes time, making it likely that the initial batch of tourists will arrive in July, travel agencies say.

According to the guidelines, tourists will be required to abide by the nation’s coronavirus measures, which includes wearing masks, keeping hands disinfected and avoiding the “three Cs”: closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. They will also be required to purchase private medical insurance in the event that they test positive for COVID-19 during the trip, as a Thai traveler on a government-run tour did last month.

The guidelines also outline specific preparatory measures for travel agencies and guides to take if and when a traveler or travelers in their care test positive for COVID-19.

Such protocols include hiring interpreters and reviewing medical facilities that accept COVID-19 patients at the locations they visit, as well as making sure there is alternative accommodation available for any close contacts. Travel agencies will also be required to keep tabs on where each tourist in their care sits at tables and on trains to ensure they can quickly determine close contacts.

Because of such restrictions, however, some overseas travel agencies aren’t so keen about jumping on the bandwagon. Japan Holidays, an Australian travel agency handling tours to Japan, is one of them.

“We don't have that much interest for people to be traveling under those conditions because, basically, a group tour doesn't really suit the Australian style of traveling,” Anthony Luxton, managing director of Japan Holidays, said in an online interview.

“There's a lot of regulation there. That’s probably another reason we were waiting for orders,” he said.

He hopes Japan’s borders will be eased by the time the leaves change color in autumn, and even more so once winter arrives and the demand for skiing increases — predominantly by families and couples who prefer traveling on their own.

“I'm sure everything is going to be very safe and efficiently run when it does (fully) open,” said Luxton. “We just have to remain patient for longer.”

Japan’s cautious approach to relaxing its border stands out. In Asia, countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore have already allowed in foreign tourists.

Kotaro Toriumi, an aviation and travel analyst, is critical of Japan’s restrictive border policy for inbound tourists, saying it’s “mere show.”

“Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration apparently judged that it was better to be restrictive ahead of the Upper House election (next month)” than to fully open Japan's borders to inbound tourists, he said.

According to a JNN survey conducted last weekend, 32% of the respondents said they wanted the border to be tightened while 22% said it should be further eased and 42% said the resumption of inbound tourism was appropriate.

“There are still many people who don’t travel or aren’t going to benefit from inbound tourists who feel the same way (that the border should not be eased),” said Toriumi.

But he pointed out that Japan will be left behind other countries as a tourist destination — especially at a time when the weakening yen would attract foreign tourists.

“Japan is missing out on the opportunity.”