InsideJapan celebrates removal of final pandemic border restrictions

Friday, Sep 23, 2022 0

Japan has finally announced the removal of all its pandemic border restrictions which will come into effect on October 11th. The latest announcement removes the daily entry cap and the requirement for travellers to apply for tourist visas.

The move comes just a few weeks after previous Japanese government announcements which have since been criticised by some for not doing enough. The easing of restriction comes in an attempt to fully open to international tourism in time for the ‘Koyo’ autumn leaf season and to aid a flagging Japanese economy.

Japan travel specialist, InsideJapan was one of the first western tour operators to get travellers back into the country on small group tours in early summer and from September, the company has been organising its Self-Guided cultural adventures across Japan once again.

Inside Travel Group and InsideJapan Tours’ Co-founder, Simon King said, “After two and a half years of various restrictions, Japan is now fully open to tourists without the hassle of visas. For our customers and agents, this removes the final barrier to travel and any uncertainty around travel allowing them to plan and look forward to their trips,”
The new rules mean that travellers from ‘Blue’ countries such as the UK, US and Australia can now enter the country and be given a visa on arrival. Triple vaccinated travellers do not need to test before they travel, nor on arrival but unvaccinated travellers, will still need to provide proof of a negative test before they depart.

King said, “Despite being one of the last few countries in the world to keep restrictions in place and the impression that may give, Japan really is very keen to welcome visitors again. Our recent customer feedback has shown that the welcome they received from ryokan owners, restauranteurs and locals alike has been incredible. Japan really does not disappoint.”

InsideJapan saw a huge increase in enquiries and bookings after the previous announcements back in late August, with tour bookings exceeding the same month in 2019. Web traffic also saw an impressive 250% increase on August 2019 levels.

King added, “Demand for our cultural adventures has been huge, and despite the easing of restrictions, we do not expect that to change for both our Self-Guided trips or Small Group Tours as people look to make the most out of their time in Japan and are reassured by our on-the-ground the support should they need it. The removal of the visa process also frees up the equivalent of at least two full-time roles and allows us to do what we do best – creating incredible trips to this amazing place.”

InsideJapan’s 2023 brochure is available to download from their website, which also showcases the 2023 Small Group Tours schedule as well as a selection of sustainable Self-Guided cultural adventures including the 14 night, ‘Best of Japan’ costing from £1,950pp (excluding international flights).