Japan to lure back tourists by covering half of their travel expenses

Japan only saw 2,900 foreign arrivals in April (less than 100 per day) that is the lowest number ever recorded. The government plans to start an exciting program to lure in foreign visitors by offering to cover 50% of their travel expenses and has earmarked $12.5B for it.

The government is planning to lure back foreign visitors by covering half of their travel expenses.

The ¥1.35 trillion ($12.5 billion) program could start in July if novel coronavirus infections subside soon, Hiroshi Tabata, chief of the agency, told a news conference Wednesday.

In recent years, Japan has been a popular destination for Asian tourists, and there has been a desperate need for new hotel developments that have been slow coming online. The Olympics are delayed until 2021, if not entirely canceled.