Traditional Japanese-style lodgings, or Ryokan, will be offered subsidy and incentives to have a major facelift.
The Japanese government will provide a subsidy to cover half of the costs for traditional hotels with low occupancy by foreign visitors, to upgrade to meet the needs of non-Japanese tourists, public broadcaster NHK reported.
The subsidy will cover the cost of installing equipment for wi-fi access, Western-style toilets, and signboards in multiple languages.
This move is the government's strategy at boosting international tourism by providing the needs of Western tourists.
By 2020, the Japanese government is targeting 30 million foreign visitors.
Japanese Tourism
Behind the sharp rise in foreign visitors has been the cheaper yen, which enables tourists to stay and shop at lower prices, paired with an expanded scope of duty-free products. Further impetus has come from the government's relaxation of requirements for visa issuance.
In January the government relaxed requirements for multiple visas for Chinese, resulting in the surge in Chinese tourists. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the number of visas issued for Chinese in 2014 totaled 2.04 million, doubling the previous year's number.
A record high of 19-million are expected by the end of this year.
The government's challenge is to make lodging facilities and Japanese-style inns with low occupancy rates more attractive to non-Japanese visitors.
The measure is also aimed at increasing tourism in rural areas through improved infrastructure and services.
The government believes that spending by foreign travelers on overnight stays and shopping have become indispensable for Japan's economy.
The funds are to be incorporated into this year's supplementary budget.
Ryokan is a type of traditional Japanese inn that originated in the Edo period, to serve travelers along Japan's highways. They typically feature tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
