Japan will provide a subsidy to cover half the cost for traditional hotels to upgrade to meet the needs of Western tourists.
The traditional Japanese-style lodgings, or Ryokan, with low occupancy by foreign visitors, can take advantage of this plan to attract non-Japanese tourists, public broadcaster NHK reported.
The subsidy will cover 50 per cent of the cost of installing equipment for wi-fi access, Western-style toilets and signboards in multiple languages.
The measure is aimed at boosting international tourism by adapting Japanese hotels to the tastes and needs of Western tourists, in order to meet the government target of 30 million foreign visitors by 2020.
The government is also seeking to increase tourism in rural areas of the country by improving infrastructure and services.
Image credit: www.ryokan-experience.com
