(TAN): Japan will develop 50 new high-end hotels across the country in a bid to draw luxury tourists, reports said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reportedly announced the move.
“We will aim to build around 50 world-class hotels across Japan,” he was quoted by The Asahi Shimbun as saying.
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The dearth of upscale hotels is primarily the reason behind the government considering cheap loans and investments to help build the luxury hotels, as per reports.
Tourism to the country has gone up lately – Japan reportedly received 31 million overseas visitors in 2018, which is expected to grow to 40 million in 2020. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics, set to be held in July-August next year, could alone attract 10 million tourists. However, luxury accommodation is few and far between; a report said Japan presently has 32 upscale hotels, a number too small to house the pouring numbers of luxury travellers.
“Compared to other cities like New York and Paris, Tokyo still has very few luxury hotels,” Chief Executive of real estate company Mori Trust Co. was quoted by The Wall Street Journal as saying.
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In the wake of the Summer Olympics, Tokyo has been witnessing a spate of new world-class developments, according to reports. Luxury hotel brands including Four Seasons and Marriott International reportedly have plans to open in the Japanese capital by next summer. Also, historic properties are undergoing renovation before they open their doors to guests – the Okura Tokyo hotel reopened in September following a remodelling worth USD 1 billion, with a suite priced at USD 28,000 per night, reports said.
Despite the new luxury hotels coming up, Tokyo might ultimately face a shortage of 14,000 rooms during each day of the Olympics, reports said. To make up for the scarcity, luxury cruise ships will reportedly operate as floating hotels.
