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Japan could use cruise ships for 2020 Olympic Games
Japan may resort to accommodating visitors in cruise ships for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Officials expect a serious accommodation shortage and the government last week met with local leaders and cruise line representatives to discuss the possibility.
A committee was set up to explore the option of using floating hotels during the Games.
An official of the ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism said Tokyo and Yokohama ports would likely be used.
It wouldn’t be the first time cruise ships have been used to accommodate sports fans at the Olympics.
Large ships were used at the Sochi Winter Olympics and at the last summer games in Rio.
Japan tourism is on a roll and increasing much faster than hotel room growth.
By time the Olympics come around in three years, Japan expects annual foreign visitor arrivals to touch 40 million a year.
The government recently legally approved the use of home sharing platforms such as Airbnb partly due to the demand for more accommodation options.
Last week the Japan Tourism Agency posted a record 2.58 million tourists in April, up nearly 24% year-on-year.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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