Some Domestic Tours Under Japan's Discount Drive Sold Out One Day After Launch
Travel agencies in Japan have stopped accepting reservations for some domestic tours under the government's discount campaign that began on Tuesday. They say slots they prepared for the program have already been filled.
The government launched the program to kick-start the domestic tourism industry, which has suffered during the coronavirus pandemic. The campaign offers a 40-percent discount on travel costs if users meet certain requirements.
The drive started in all prefectures except Tokyo on Tuesday and runs through late December. It will go from October 20 to December 20 in the capital.
The government allocated about 560 billion yen, or some 3.8 billion dollars, to fund the program. Prefectural governments are distributing the subsidies to travel agencies and other related entities.