Wakayama reveals local results

Wakayama reported negative results addressing the tourism industry.

Japan.- As Japanese regions compete to obtain a gaming licence to allow international casino companies to invest in the industry, Wakayama has published official results regarding the tourism industry. Japanese authorities are reviewing the prefectures’ tourism results in order to decide where casino resorts will be located.

Wakayama Prefecture reported that last year 33.8 million tourists visited the city, which represents a decline of about 1.1 million, or about 3.3 per cent, from the previous year’s number of tourists, according to the official statement. However, local authorities think the lower number is due to a unique increase reported in 2016, which leads to an unfair comparison with last year’s results.

According to the statement, “tourism had been boosted considerably in 2016 by a popular television drama set in the prefecture that had brought them many visitors, but that show had completed its airing.” Furthermore, the government argued that during 2017, weekend weather was not favourable for tourism.

“Foreign tourism also declined by roughly 5 per cent, from about 505,000 to 480,000. About 70 per cent of Wakayama’s foreign tourists were from Asia, especially Hong Kong (22 per cent), mainland China (21 per cent), and Taiwan (14 per cent),” stated the official report.