Megaquake alert in Japan triggers hotel cancellations, hits tourism industry

Japan's Pacific coastal regions have seen a surge of hotel reservation cancellations and event postponements after a quake of 7.1 magnitude on Aug. 8 prompted the country to issue a megaquake alert along the Nankai Trough.

Shimoda, a popular resort town situated at the southeastern end of the Izu Peninsula, has seen over 500 hotel reservation cancellations since the megaquake alert was issued.   A time-honored hot-spring hotel in Shimoda, which usually sees a surge of reservations during Japan's traditional Obon Festival holiday from Aug. 13 to 16, has now had to contend with the cancellation of rooms that were fully reserved two months in advance.

"Although I don't live by the sea, a megaquake is still scary," said a Japanese resident.   "Following the issuance of a Nankai Trough megaquake alert on Aug. 8, customers have begun to cancel their reservations the following day. Of the 70 rooms that had been booked for between Aug. 9 and 31, 10 rooms have been cancelled," said a hot-spring hotel manager.   As events are also being canceled or postponed in areas located close to the sea, the megaquake warning has also impacted the operations of beach rest areas, with group travelers canceling their reservations one after another.   "Since the megaquake alert was issued, two tour groups, one with 30 people and the other with 15 people, totaling 45 people, have cancelled their reservations. The Obon Festival holiday season has seen a dramatic drop in tourist numbers, with only around half the usual visitors compared to the previous years," said a staff member at the beach in Shizuoka Prefecture.   Other prefectures that have received the megaquake warning have also seen a surge in hotel reservation cancellations.   In some coastal areas, scheduled fireworks festivals were postponed or cancelled in response to the alert.   On Tuesday, the Cabinet Office said the one-week "alert period" for a potential megaquake is expected to conclude on Thursday if no abnormal seismic activities or crustal changes are detected.   The Japan Meteorological Agency also announced on Wednesday afternoon that while no abnormal seismic activities or crustal changes have been observed in the anticipated epicenter zone, the threat of a large-scale earthquake remains higher compared to normal conditions.   Chinese tourists who have booked tours to Japan have now chosen to change or cancel their travel plans in the wake of the country's megaquake warning.   Summer vacation is traditionally the peak season for China's outbound tourism, and Japan is one of the main destinations for Chinese travelers.   "Tourists who had originally planned to visit Japan may now adopt a 'wait and see' approach and postpone their trips, or they may redirect their flights to nearby destinations, such as South Korea and Southeast Asia," said Zhao Qibin, market manager of a travel agency in Guangzhou.   Many Chinese airlines have announced their refund policies for flights affected by Japan's potential megaquake.

Megaquake alert in Japan triggers hotel cancellations, hits tourism industry

Türkiye's Ambassador to China says he will be keeping a close eye on the policy outcomes which will be set out during China's "two sessions", the country's highest-profile political event, which are now underway in Beijing.

As the biggest annual gathering on China's political calendar, the "two sessions" refers to the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's national legislature, and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body.

The third session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC opened in Beijing on Tuesday, while the third session of the 14th NPC began on Wednesday.

In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), the Turkish Ambassador to China Ismail Hakki Musa highlighted the key areas he will be watching out for during this year's gathering.

He noted that China's development experience and its standing as a major economic powerhouse means that the outcomes of the "two sessions" will have a significant global impact.

"The most important topic at stake was, of course, the opening up, the idea of sharing the democratic experience [of] Chinese-style [modernization]. China provides one-third of the global growth. China represents almost one-fourth of the world economy. The focus is on deepening economic reforms and improving the business environment, the steps aimed at encouraging foreign investments also draws great attention. China is willing to attract more foreign direct investment. This will certainly benefit foreign businesses, including Turkish companies, who wish to increase their investments in China," he said.

"China tries to adapt itself to the new, challenging business environment as well. This has two versions. First, the labor market, second, the capital sphere. [I] understand it as enterprises, the investors, as the recent developments in innovation, and especially in artificial intelligence area. And all of these are being tackled during the 'two sessions'," the ambassador said.

Turkish Ambassador shares expectations for China's "two sessions"