Actually, no, the Japanese government did not say it would pay for your trip

Yesterday, we kindled your post-iso holiday fantasies with an article reporting that the Japanese government was offering to pay for a portion of your trip to the island nation. Unfortunately, you might have to put those dreams on hold – or fund the trip yourself once borders open again – because the Japanese government has not specifically extended that offer to international visitors yet. 

Kyodo News, a Japanese news outlet, initially reported that Japan was "planning to lure back foreign visitors by covering half of their travel expenses". However, this was later corrected to state that the government was looking to boost domestic tourism with its subsidy package, without mention of whether this could be extended to apply to international travellers. 

So, there you have it, folks. It's like our grandmothers told us – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't. Oh, but if you're still looking for someone else to foot your travel bill, the Italian island of Sicily is (for real) offering to pay for half of your flight costs when you travel there. 

Or, you could holiday closer to home this winter with the cosiest getaways in New South Wales.