Japan began accepting vaccinated visitors from 68 countries without visas on Tuesday, ending almost three years of tighter border controls that kept tourists out of the island nation.
“I only brought one suitcase with me, but will probably end up with two going back,” Lin, 35, said in Mandarin, sharing his plans to stock up on snacks and skincare products during his four-day trip. Not all US tourists are in such a rush, the Eatons figured. Their fellow Americans have the desire and the interest to visit Japan, but have a range of competing destinations to choose from, Scott said. “Coming here, you’ve got to wear a mask. You go to Europe, they are over that,” he added.Airline stocks were up in Tokyo on Tuesday as the first visitors arrived, with Japan Airlines rising as much as 3% and ANA Holdings Inc as much as 2.7%, while the broader Topix index declined as much as 2.1%.
Japanese airlines are already ramping up international flights, and domestic travel is also picking up, with many residents taking advantage of the lack of lines and affordable prices. The country was at the peak of a tourism boom before the pandemic, with a record 32-million inbound visitors in 2019.
Reservations also jumped immediately on the news and have shown little sign of slowing down, Ooka said in an interview.