Japan's Go To Travel campaign hits Tokyo, how to use your campaign coupons
All right guys welcome, into this the latest. Video in our city cost japan youtube channel now we're coming at you today, from, tokyo. On location, as it were. We've just been. A few blocks that way doing some location, shoots, so we thought we'd take this opportunity. To, uh. Do a bit of a round up kind of video. On the go to, travel, campaign, if you remember that's the japanese, government's, contentious. Campaign. To get people traveling around the country. To reinvigorate, the tourism, industry, following the outbreak, of the coronavirus. So for tokyo, it's a big day then it's october, 1st and today, is the day that tokyo, and residents of tokyo, can actually start taking advantage, of the go to travel, campaign. Actually. Package, sales, for, the go-to, campaign, with tokyo as the point of. Departure, and or destination. Actually went on sale a couple of weeks ago, but it's from today that the travelling and the discounts, actually start. Those discounts. Or the in summary if you like the the go to travel campaign. Is. The government, subsidizing. Travel expenses, to the tune of 50. Up to a value of 20 000 yen per person, per night, just to break that down a little bit more clearly though, 35. Of that, is kind of as a straightforward, discount, on your. Transport. Accommodation. Package, the remaining 15. Comes in the form of coupons, for you to spend. At your destination. For the duration, of your trip. Not that the atmosphere, seems to have changed that much. Here in tokyo, but it is only the first day of the campaign. Early doors yet. Maybe we'll see an increase. Maybe we'll see an increase, in, tourists, entering the capital, in the days weeks and months to come. Actually things could be set to get even better for residents, of the capital. As they could be in line to get their own exclusive, travel discounts. To the tune of 5000, yen per person, per night for overnight, stays. And 2, 500, yen for their day trips, with in tokyo. Anyway, let's head back to the office. And check this out in more. Detail. While the perk seems yet to be confirmed, reports, came out late september, that the tokyo, metropolitan. Government had set aside a supplementary. Budget, of 2.2. Billion yen for the tourism, project. In order to stimulate, the industry, following the outbreak of the coronavirus. We heard about the benefit, from japanese, colleagues, and after reading japanese, language news reports.
About The tokyo, metropolitan, government making the announcement, on september, 24th. We were led to the only official account we have found so far, the published details, of the metropolitan. Government's, draft supplementary. Budget, in which the benefit, is lightly detailed. As always a link to this page will be in the description, below this video. So as you can see guys, the details about this are still a little bit sketchy. To the best of our understanding. This budget, is still awaiting, approval. But if it does get the okay. The benefits, could kick in as early as late october. Now just remember. This is a benefit, that's available, to residents, of tokyo, only, and for their trips within, tokyo. Now according to my japanese, colleagues. What they reckon, is going to happen with this extra special benefit, for residents, of tokyo. Is that people, are going to combine it with the standard, go to travel discounts. And use it, perhaps, to, have a night stay in a luxury, hotel. A lux stay, that they, otherwise, wouldn't be able to afford. Now again this is just according to my japanese, colleagues, but they reckon, this could be a popular, thing, for couples to do, around christmas, time. So if you're thinking of staying over, in the capital, during the festive, season. I reckon you ought to be paying attention. To, available, rooms. At luxury hotels, if that's indeed what you're aiming at pay attention to the availability. Of those rooms. Because, with the go-to, campaign, and the extra benefit for tokyo residents, they could be snapped, up. At a higher rate than you might have expected them to otherwise, have been. Of course, campaign, users, are not going to be limited, to urban pleasures, when it comes to tokyo. As a destination. Uh for their go-to, travel campaign. Particularly. Never east, of, western, tokyo. Stretches, right into the countryside. Into the mountains, in fact, so if you're an outdoor enthusiast. You could go to a place like oktama. Make use of your go-to, campaign. Make use of your extra 5000, yen if that's what's going to happen. Head out there, enjoy the outdoors, at a cheaper rate than you might otherwise have been able to. Now of course the rest of us outside of tokyo. Have had access, to the go to travel campaign, since what mid-july. But we've only had access to that 35. Discount, part of it we haven't been able to use the travel, coupons. Because well. They simply haven't been ready yet. Anyway, as of october, 1st. Those coupons. Are going to be put into circulation. For travellers, across japan, to use, just remember, these coupons, are to the tune of 15. Of your travel expenses. With certain, limitations. And conditions, that apply, which we're going to look at now. So let's remind ourselves of the go-to, travel basics. If you've booked let's say a one-night, stay at a 20 000 yen per person, per night place. Through the go-to, travel campaign, you could be eligible, for a 35.
Discount, Off that which would be 7, 000 yen, so you'll pay the remaining, 13, 000 yen. Now with the coupons, now in play. Through the go to travel campaign. In this case, you'd be looking at 15. Of that 20, 000 yen in the form of coupons. So that's 3 000 yensworth, in this case. Now remember, the go to travel campaign, works on a per person, per night basis. For overnight, trips that is, with a limit of 20 000 yen per person, per night in support. So let's say that the above trip is for two nights at 20 000 yen per person per night, so the total cost is 40 000 yen. Through the go-to, travel campaign, travelers, will, pay up front, 26, 000 yen of that, and then have 6 000 yen in coupons, to use at the destination. All right then so what about these coupons. Well what we're going to do here is take you through the information, provided, on the go to travel portal, site, which is operated, by the go to travel secretariat. Which we're guessing is operated, out of the ministry of land, infrastructure. Transport, and tourism. Or at least a third party hired by the ministry. Now, everything, on here is in japanese. So please forgive us if our own translations, and understanding, of all this stuff, isn't quite up to scratch. First of all then what we want to do is locate, the information, about the coupons, which you think. If i press that button up here. And. Here we go coupon, toast so this is going to tell us the information, that we need to know about these go-to, travel campaign, coupons. So here are the basics, then. First of all then. What it seems to be telling us in this section, here, is well it's telling us that the the coupons, are to the equivalent, of 15, of our travel expenses. Down here somewhere it's explaining, that the coupons, are going to be rounded, up from, 500, yen so like if you total, of your. Travel package, spending. Doesn't sort of, round up evenly, they're going to do it for you, rounding, up from values above 500, yen to be rounded up to 1 000 yen so it looks like these coupons, are going to come in denominations. Of 1 000 yen, and then it's telling us that uh coupons can only be used during the period of travel, and at the destination. Prefecture, or in adjacent. Prefectures. Now okay so well let's just focus on that, duration, of travel business. A colleague here, has actually just booked a trip, to an onsen resort, through using the go to, travel campaign. And they were told by the hotel, which is where they will receive their coupons. That the coupons, can only be given to them upon, check-in, so from 3 p.m, or whenever it is the check-in period starts at that particular, hotel. Now they've asked if they could uh collect the coupons. Upon, arrival. Even if this, were to be prior to the check-in time, and they've been told that no sorry in fact you cannot do that so that's something to be bearing in mind. Also. Uh on this, portal site somewhere it'll tell us that coupons, can be used until, 11. 59, pm, on the day that you check out of your, accommodation.
In The case of day trips. Coupons, are basically, valid, from, midnight. Through to, 11, 59. On the same day so basically a very well very roughly a 24, hour period. That those coupons are going to be available. It's telling us here that there are two, kinds of coupons, available, a paper, coupon, and an electronic. Coupon, and regardless, of the type. No change. Will be given from the coupons. Coupons, are distributed, by travel companies and accommodation. Facilities. And it's going to tell us a little bit about, how that works in this section, here so. What it's telling us here is that. If we purchase, our. If we make our bookings. Directly. In person with a travel, agency. We'll receive, a paper coupon, upon completing, our reservation, with that agency. Then he's talking about what happens when we book online. When you book online, it's saying that you'll receive paper coupons, upon checking, at an accommodation, facility, or at the accommodation. Facility. Or, once you've made your online booking. In the, confirmation. Email that you usually, get. There'll be a url, provided, in there that url. Will take you through, to the coupon, issuance, screen. And from there, you can get your electronic. Coupons. Now, according to authorities, here the type of coupon, issued, whether it be paper, or online. Is determined. By the site, or, agency. Through which your travel bookings, are made, so this is not a choice, which the traveler, can make themselves. Early word is though that not many facilities, stores, restaurants, that kind of thing are actually ready to accept the online, coupons. So that's something to bear in mind not that you've got a choice about it anyway but if it turns out that your. Booking agency, or accommodation, facility, wants to issue you with paper coupons. Don't be bummed out about that in fact that could be the best way to go. So where can we use these coupons. That are being issued them regardless, whether they're our paper, or online. Well basically. We can use them at stores, facilities. At the destination. Which have been registered, with the go to, travel secretariat. The people overseeing, this campaign. And these stores and facilities. Can be identified, by campaign, marks, such as these blue ones that you can see on the screen in front of you now. The usage of these coupons, is not limited, to. Facilities, like stores, and restaurants, alone. According to this portal, site, you can also use your coupons, for some bus. And taxi, and other transportation. Services. And you can see, you can search for sort of a list of these things. On the portal site itself we're not actually going to do that now but that's just something to bear in mind, so if we scan down here it's going to give us a breakdown, in more detail, about how the paper coupons, can be used and how these electronic, coupons, can be used, first of all let's start with these, uh electronic. Coupons, so, we're going to sort of click on here it's going to tell us in a bit more detail how these things are to be used. It seemed basically, we go back to that, confirmation. Email that we got when we booked our trip, we click on that url, and it takes us to this, coupon. Issuance. Site, and the first thing we need to do then is enter some details, into the form that you can see in front of you here, so i'll just zoom in on that a little bit, what we need to do here then in this field, is enter, the go to travel business, registration. Id, of the travel agency.
Through Which you made your booking. Then in here you enter your booking reservation. Number or confirmation, number. And then here it seems to get a little bit complicated, we need to enter the prefecture. In which your first night of accommodation. Will be located. Along with main destinations. Of day trips quite exactly, how he's supposed to, enter that information i'm not entirely, sure, and then there's also a bit of a warning here you need to check the online, environment. Which can handle the use of these electronic, coupons. At the time of making this video you can see here, that that's the operating, systems. Of. Seven or later if you're on android. Ios, 10 or later if you're on an iphone. If you're just using regular browser you need the latest, version of safari, or google chrome. Then once you've entered all that information. You'll come to this next screen here which details, the, balance that you've got available. In coupons. Then when it actually comes to using these coupons. Well how do you do that. At the store. You need to, have ready the url, or the in fact the page, of the coupon. Issuing. Site. So that's, basically. The. This url, which gave you this screen here. Then what you need to do on site is you need once again to enter this information that you already entered, to initially, access your coupons. That was your. Idea that was the idea of the travel agency through which you booked, your reservation, or confirmation, number. And the prefecture, where your. First night's accommodation, is and prefectures, where your main day trips will be. Once you've done that it seems like then you can begin to select the value of the coupon that you wish to use. When you do that, you press, look it seems like here you're going to press a button, so, in there giving an example of 2000, yen we want to use a 2000, yen coupon we press this button. And then you press this issuance, button to actually receive it or kind of activate, it i see. Then what you do is you come here's the coupon itself this is what it looks like, you're then being asked, to activate. A qr, code reader that's this black button, here. Then what you do is you scan the qr, code which is at the count of the store where you're making your purchase. And after that you're going to, press the mark as used button, and this is to be done actually at the store. And shown to staff, in order for the traction. For the transaction, to be made complete, however, this works we're not entirely sure. This is what the used, screen looks like anyway something like this. And, it should list the, store, name. The date and time, the date and time of the coupon, use, and the amount that you used. Now the details on the portal, keep going on we're provided with information, about what to do in the event that the qr, code won't scan but to be honest.
It's Tiresome, enough, figuring out what to do when everything is working as it should be, so maybe we'll leave this for another time in another video, let's just go back, and see if we can check out these paper coupons, now how do these paper coupons, work. Let's click to see in more detail. The paper coupons, themselves. Well they look a little something, like this. And you can see, how the area, of usage, in here, is detailed. This one with the, further, black frame around it is the prefecture. In which our first night's accommodation, is located. And we've also got the uh, the dates. In terms of the validity, dates of this coupon. Now i suppose the main thing to highlight, about the use of paper coupons, according, to the portal site, is, well these things are detailed. Here, this particular. Term, i guess. Is telling us that the coupons, cannot be exchanged. For cash. Also detailed, in here, is that if your coupon, doesn't cover the full amount of the purchase, that you're trying to make, you can actually make up the rest of that value, in cash. And it also details in here that there are no refunds. Or returns. That will be given for purchases, made, using these. Coupons. If we scan. Right down to the bottom, here. We've got this rather, i guess ominous, warning, here, this final, warning which seems to be telling us that if we cancel, our trips after having already received, our coupons. We are to return these coupons, to the travel agency, or accommodation, facility, that issued them to us in the first place. Failure to do so could be seen as illegally, receiving, benefits. And you could receive a request from the go to travel secretariat. Itself. For a cash, refund. So that's ending things on a happy note for us isn't it um, but let's not get too concerned. Uh with that. What we wanted to do here is just highlight, the. Core, basics. About, what you need to expect when it comes to. Receiving, your coupons. Paper, or electronic. And how, they are to be used. Now, to help travelers put their coupons, to work, the people behind the go to travel campaign. On september, 29th. Launched an interactive, map, through which you can locate, facilities. At which you can use your coupons. Let's take a look. So let's see if we can't find this map, here we are at the go to travel, portal, site. And this pink button on the top here seems to be pointing us in the direction of looking for something so let's click on that. I'm just going to scan down here. And let's see. This is. I'm going right down to the bottom. I can't find this map. I don't know what's this i'm going to click on that see what happens ah here we go this looks like a map, yes, all right okay so here we are. This is a map, that would appear to be detailing. All of those places, at which we can use our go to travel coupons, whether they be, paper. Or electronic, perhaps they're going to specify, if we, search in further detail let's just enter something in here, let's go to kyoto, shall we. All right so, it looks pretty spartan, and kyoto at the moment but i think this is telling us to zoom in a bit further. To start seeing some of these facilities. Nothing yet. One more push. Okay yeah here we go. So, these, are the facilities, in kyoto, at which we can use our go to travel coupons. Let's just, zoom in a bit further. And, let's click on this. Place here. Okay it's all in japanese. Looks like a sober joint. Let's click on here for more details. Okay so it brings us to a map and, it. Is telling us here what kind of coupons, can be used, at this particular, place, and it looks like we can use both the paper coupons. And the electronic, coupons. Here it is on the map here. Uh if we scan down it gives us the basic details, opening hours address, telephone number that kind of thing. And then i guess if we click on this it's going to take us to that, particular, home page and yes, there it is. So there we go guys. That's how the map works. Those travelers who like to sniff out a bit of an extra discount. Perhaps shouldn't limit themselves, to the go to travel campaign. A little bit of light research. May reveal. Organizations. And authorities, across the country, which are releasing, their own, travel or tourism, campaigns. In conjunction, with the go-to, travel campaign.
Providing, Extra discounts. To those travelers, who are willing to go the extra yard, to try and find them now if you're someone like me, the go-to, campaign. Almost seems to be like hustling, off really, such that sniffing out any further discounts. Kind of just makes me tired and want to go to sleep, it's probably not my cup of tea. But if you've got the motivation. If you're willing to put in a bit of extra time and do the research. Again, don't limit yourself just to the go-to, campaign. You can perhaps find extra discounts, out there to go along with your go to travel discounts. Of course if all this wasn't enough, the go-to, travel campaign, coming to tokyo. The coupons, being launched. The extra benefits for residents, of tokyo. Today october, 1st, also marks the day that the go to eat campaign, kicks off we've got another video about that on our youtube channel definitely check that out and we might have another one, about that coming out soon. All right then so there's plenty, for japan, domestic, travelers, to sink their teeth into these days. The prospect, of discounts. To be had. One thing that jumps out to me though at this time, is perhaps the lack of english, language, information. Related, to this go-to, travel campaign, official, information, at least of course we can read all about it, in the english language, news, outlets, but what about the official. Information, about this campaign. Perhaps i haven't looked hard enough, but there isn't that much that jumps from the page, to me. And this makes me wonder, actually if this is something, to do with or a reflection, of the fact, that the, inbound. Market. As a sort of promotional, and sales tool in japan, right now is pretty much non-existent. And i'm kind of wondering, if, all this kind of, multi-language. Support. This foreign language, support, this, yasashi, nihongo. And all the rest of this stuff. Was basically, driven, by, inbound, marketing. Rather than. Any desire, or motivation. To look after the foreigners, who are in fact living, in japan. I don't know maybe i'm thinking too deeply about it but i do wonder, you know particularly, with this the, lack of. Multi-language. Information, available. Available, about this go-to, campaign. Is this a sign that companies. Organizations. Or authorities. With the inbound, market, pretty much non-existent. These days is this a sign that they've kind of neglected, or perhaps just innocently, forgotten. About the foreigners, like me who live in this country, and might also want to take advantage, of this go-to, travel campaign. I don't know like i said maybe i'm just thinking too much maybe getting paranoid, who knows, let us know what you think about that, in the comments.
Perhaps Some of you are excited to take advantage, of the go-to, travel campaign, and go and discover parts of japan that are still awaiting, your discovery. Perhaps others, are reluctant, to participate. In the campaign, and see it as just exacerbating. The spread, of the novel corona, virus. Whichever camp you're in feel free to share your opinions, in the comments below this video. If you are going to travel, have a great time, but do so safely. Respect, other people respect the other travelers, respect the locals. Pay attention to your virus, prevention. Measures there's information, out there, about how, and what you can do to prevent the spread of this virus so pay attention to that as always thanks so much for your support of the citycos, japan, youtube, channel if you haven't done so already, please subscribe, to the channel so you can stay up to date, with the latest videos that we're producing. Like this video. Share this video. Comment on this video, and we look forward to seeing you next time. Bye. You.
2020-10-12 23:47
