TOKYO FOCUSES ON BUSINESS GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
The 2021 edition of the Tokyo City Promotion Event, running this week, is being held online.
Organisers say the purpose of the three-day event – which runs from Tuesday, February 2 until Thursday, February 4 – is to convey the charm of Tokyo, the variety of fun experiences on offer, as well tradition and innovation.
“Tokyo is a city full of charm”, says Muramatsu Akinori, Director General, Bureau of Industrial and Labour Affairs at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, adding, “Under the modern skyscrapers of Tokyo, lies a traditional cityscape where you can experience the traditional culture such as food, performing arts, and buildings that has sustained for more than 400 years since the Edo period, where the pop culture such as animation coexists, providing a unique experience to the visitors. Visitors can also experience the finest Japanese hospitality through punctual and safe transportation to a clean and comfortable accommodation.”
With the spread of the coronavirus affecting travel between nations, severely impacting the global tourism industry, Mr Akinori says it is expected that traveling to Tokyo will continue to be difficult for some time: “Though the spread of infectious diseases might have changed the mindset of travellers, the desire to travelling continues to exist.”
Local businesses including hotels and restaurants are working to adapt to the “new normal”, following the guidelines introduced by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government such as posting COVID-19 safety stickers on their stores so that visitors can travel to Tokyo with peace of mind while the pandemic settles down.
Preparations are steadily progressing in Tokyo towards the first mega-event since the start of the pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
At this promotional event, organisers will provide visitors with the latest tourist information on Tokyo and information on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Tourism related companies in Tokyo will also present their efforts on safety measures and mitigation.
“We hope that this promotional event will strengthen interest and knowledge of Tokyo and create new business development opportunities contributing to the recovery of the tourism industry in the near future,” said Mr Akinori. “We sincerely hope to welcome many travellers from all over the world to Tokyo again, soon.”
Registering for the event: To register for the Tokyo City Promotion Event, click HERE.
Meanwhile, a study has estimated that staging this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo without spectators would result in a ¥2.4 trillion (€19 bn) economic loss for Japan.
Katsuhiro Miyamoto, a professor of theoretical economics at Kansai University, has calculated the economic impact of holding Tokyo 2020 behind closed doors. According to his estimates, there would be a ¥381.3 bn (€3 bn) loss in spending related directly to the Games, or 90% of the original projection for the event.
