At long last, Japan is finally reopening to foreign tourists starting with guided tours on Friday June 10. As reported by Kyodo News, the government will be asking tourists taking part in these packaged group tours to wear face masks and take out insurance to cover potential Covid-19 medical expenses on their trip.
Japan's tourism ministry has devised guidelines for travel agencies and hotels to help with the resumption of tourism. The rules stipulate that travel agencies must receive consent from tourists to comply with certain measures. These safety measures will be made known to the tour participants when they purchase their tour package. Tourists who fail to comply with the rules may not be able to take part in the tour.
The guidelines also list down several Covid-19 safety protocols for the travel agencies to follow, including setting tour routes in less crowded areas and facilities with proper safety measures. They must also have information on multilingual medical institutions and hotels for potential quarantine, and provide support in cases of Covid-19 infection. Tourists, on the other hand, must notify their tour companies if they have Covid-19 within a week of returning home.
Agencies will also keep records of all tours including the routes and seating plans, so that they can identify close contacts if necessary.
Japan is staying cautious incase of a Covid-19 resurgence. With these strict rules in place, it will still be a while before Japan reopens to independent tourists.
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