OSAKA, Japan.
Record of visitors generates discontent between the population. On the one hand, the problem is ignorance and disrespect for local customs; On the other, it is all to want to see the same attractions at the same time of the year.
For Japan, 2024 was a year of tourist recordsand the country anticipates a new peak, but while the travel sector and the government celebrate the postpandeia bonanza, the local population is unhappy: life is disturbed by the large concentration of tourists in the main destinations.
In 2024, the Asian country received 36.9 million tourists, 47.1% more than the previous yearsurpassing until 31.9 million in 2019, before the covid-19 pandemic interrupts the sector’s euphoria.
Now, in the cities of the “Golden Route” – Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka – the wrath of residents against visitors who, in addition to overcrowding public transport, do not respect the customs fundamental to Japanese society: many will be laying trash, Smoking and drinking on the streets and harming the peace of residential neighborhoods with parties at night in rented properties.
WORKING THE TOURIST AVALENCHE
The Japanese media has highlighted a series of especially shocking incidents, such as a US tourist who was arrested for vandalizing the wooden gate of the historic Meiji Jingu Sanctuary in Tokyo, or the Chilean influencer who filmed push-ups. in the sacred Torii gate of a Shinto temple. Another foreigner was filmed to kick one of the famous deer in the city of Nara.
Kyoto, with his famous imperial palaces, temples, shrines and the Gion Gion neighborhood, is one of the main outbreaks of the invasion. “Problems are mainly caused by the concentration of tourists in the main attractions, at certain times of the year and at certain times of the day,” explains Toshinori Tsuchihashi, director of tourism of the city.
“Concentrations tend to happen during the flower cherry season and when the leaves are changing color in August, causing traffic jams on the surrounding roads and municipal buses, as well as Tag problems.”
Aiming to “achieve a harmonious balance between the lives of citizens and tourists”, promoting greater understanding and respect, the municipality introduced the Code of Tourism Conduct in Kyoto. Several parallel initiatives were also created to distribute the cargo around the city.
Now, express buses carry tourists among the most popular places, preventing them from overloading public transport; New sites and applications disclose information in various languages. Similar separation will happen in the rows of Carris in Lisbon.
Learn with others
Other Japanese cities adopted controversial approaches. Himeji City Council – where the White Heron Castle is located, UNESCO World Heritage – is considering the tickets considerably expensive, but only for foreign tourists.
Tour Marketing Analyst Ashley Harvey recalls that several cities around the world are looking for a solution to excessive tourism, but Japan must learn from other experiences.
“We are seeing excessive tourism in London, Barcelona, Venice, Kyoto. This has been a problem for many years, and difficult to solve because it is driven by the market. We can push and influence market segments to start mitigating the problem, but fundamentally all who go to Japan want to visit Tokyo, even if it’s the third or fourth time. ”
The goal should be explore more rural areaswhose tourist places are begging for a slice of the cake, and where travelers would probably experience a more authentic Japan, without having to “hide” each other.
“The problem of overcrowding in a few cities is the result of overwhelming in 90% of the rest of the world,” says Harvey. “The government has set a goal of 60 million tickets until the end of the decade – which fired alarms in some means. Japan is certainly capable of housing 60 million visitors a year – but I don’t quoto alone. ”
Beyond Mount Fuji and Cherry
According to the tourist analyst, the Japanese sector has been betting on geographical and seasonal icons, from cherry trees to Flor to Mount Fuji, rather than encouraging tourists to explore these same attractions in different places.
“It is not a problem that can be solved with a single action: it requires joint reasoning, involving all stakeholders, to ensure that Japan will work as much as possible with tourism. I have no problem with a tourist tax, for example, as long as the funds collected are reversed to provide better infrastructure, guides, and so on. ”
