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Kinnotake Group: 2023 GW Reservation Numbers Up by 118% Compared to 2019 Pre-COVID Levels

Apr.07.23

Kinnotake Group, which operates five inns and two restaurants in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, has compiled the following information regarding the reservation trends for the Golden Week period (April 29 to May 5, 2022).

The "Priority Measures to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19" were completely lifted on March 21, 2022, marking one year since their introduction. On October 11, 2022, restrictions on entry, including the removal of the upper limit on foreign tourists, were significantly eased. The impact of a weaker yen, along with the gradual increase in inbound tourists, suggests that normalcy before the pandemic is slowly returning. Last year's Golden Week saw a positive change with the lifting of "Priority Measures to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19," which resulted in a return to activities without constraints, contrasting with the state of emergency declared in 2021. Nevertheless, the situation did not fully recover compared to pre-COVID conditions. Last year's reservation trends for Golden Week were marked by many individuals making last-minute reservations while monitoring infection status. However, this year, due to the increase in demand from international travelers and a growing sense of living "with COVID," the booking period was expedited. As a result, the number of reservations for the entire Kinnotake Group during Golden Week (April 29 to May 5) shows an increase compared to the same period the previous year (171%) and compared to the same period in 2019 (118%). The goal is to further increase the occupancy rate by improving customer experience to encourage early bookings.