Japan’s ‘Go To Travel’ campaign to be suspended
Japan is halting the subsidised Go To Travel program over the New Year period.
In an abrupt move to contain surging Covid infection rates, the domestic travel campaign will be suspended nationwide from 28 December to 11 January.
It comes after calls to scale back the program as Tokyo’s weekly rolling average of new Covid infecions surpassed 500 for the first time..
The travel program began in the summer as a means to stimulate domestic travel and aid the tourism industry.
However, the scheme has been blamed for helping to spread the virus across the country.
A subcommittee on Covid containment measures last week called for a halt of the Go To travel campaign in prefectures with rising cases to help reduce the movement of people.
The Tokyo government has ordered restaurants and bars to reduce hours of operation for the next few days.
"All steps need to be taken to protect lives and stop the virus from spreading further," Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said.
With Tokyo at the heart of the latest wave of infections, the capital city will be removed as an inbound destination for the Go To Travel campaign starting later this week.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor
TravelMole Editorial Team
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.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026