It's been two years since Japanese tourists disappeared from Hawaii.
I have become accustomed to the scenery without Japanese tourists to the point that it is difficult to even remember the lively atmosphere of Waikiki Beach, which was already full of Japanese tourists.
However, shops and restaurants that were popular with Japanese tourists miss the sight of Japanese tourists happily coming and going and looking forward to the return of the Japanese people as soon as possible. Masu.
Before the corona crisis, about 1.56 million Japanese tourists visited Hawaii in 2019, but statistics were announced the other day that 2021 will be 98.5% lower than in 2019. I guess the impact on business will be terrifying. There are countless shops that have given up on business and closed due to the impact of the corona virus.
Of course, some shops are doing their best and enduring, but the number of shops that have closed and reopened due to the gradual deregulation of tourism has increased. The famous cafe "Sunny Days" is located on "Monsarrat Ave", which is said to be a popular gourmet street among Japanese people. This restaurant was also forced to close for a long time, but it just reopened in December with new staff and a new menu. When I talked to the staff at the store, they said that during the Christmas holiday season, many American tourists flocked to Hawaii.
After all, we are waiting for the Japanese tourists who have visited Hawaii throughout the year to return. The Hapalua Marathon, a half marathon, will be held in April this year, so I wonder if Japanese tourists will come back to Hawaii around that time. He told me that he was expecting it. At a press conference held the other day, Prime Minister Kishida said that Japan's border measures were also being eased.
When I heard this news, I thought about business owners in Hawaii who have finally managed to reopen and are eagerly waiting for Japanese tourists. When I think about the people doing business in Hawaii, I want to bow my head to the Japanese government to make it easier for Japanese tourists to come to Hawaii again.
Waikiki Trolley's "Pink Line" runs on a route connecting Waikiki and Ala Moana Center. There used to be a lot of Japanese tourists happily carrying their shopping bags, but now I feel lonely. I can't wait to see the "Pink Line" bustling with Japanese tourists again.
