The Japanese government will reportedly resume its Go To Travel domestic travel campaign to try to help a tourism industry struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While there is enthusiasm over that prospect, and projections are positive, considerable uncertainty hangs over the program. The government should proceed only if it has the protocols to ensure that a new Go To campaign can be done safely.
Japan has had high hopes for its tourism industry. The sector was expected to provide a substantial boost to national wealth and income, an ambition that had been achieved. The number of foreign visitors to Japan climbed from 4.7 million in 2001 to nearly 32 million by 2019. Those visitors spent ¥4.5 trillion in 2018. The domestic travel market was also expanding, generating ¥20 trillion to ¥22 trillion in 2019.