Monday, October 15, 2018
The northernmost main island of Hokkaido in Japan is trying to bring back international tourists in the wake of last month’s massive earthquake, targeting vibrant Asian economies including Hong Kong.
Hokkaido’s hotel industry is still reeling from the magnitude-6.7 earthquake that jolted the southwestern region of the prefecture on September 6, cutting power supply to over 5 million residents, killing 41 people and injuring more than 700.
It is said that the quake caused at least 10 billion yen (about $90 million) in canceled reservations mainly by schools and foreign tourists. The total damage to the Hokkaido infrastructure and all local industries is estimated to exceed 400 billion yen.
A total of 14 companies and organizations exhibited in the food section of the event space while six companies and organizations joined a seminar on tourism.
The natural scene of Hokkaido draws many skiers from around the world and also offers a cool, dry summer. Tsuji said his prefecture is placing importance on Hong Kong, where people already have deep knowledge of Japanese food and culture.
In 2017 tourism season, a record 28.7 million people from overseas visited Japan, up 19.3 percent on year, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization. Japan also attracted a record 2.2 million people from Hong Kong in 2017, up 21.3 percent from 2016.
