Tourism to Kumamoto Prefecture fell 23% year over year in the week after the July 28 earthquake, according to an analysis by the Kyushu Economic Research Center. Using smartphone GPS data for August 1-7, the group estimated that 672,000 people visited the prefecture for tourism and other purposes. Overnight stays fell 50.4% in Amakusa City, 49.9% in Minamioguni, home to Kurokawa Onsen, and 44.2% in Aso City. The impact extended beyond Kumamoto, with lodging numbers down 21.3% in Kagoshima City, partly because the Kyushu Shinkansen remained suspended, and 31% in Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture. The center said recovery efforts should first focus on nearby markets such as Fukuoka, then expand to southern Kanto and the Kinki region as conditions improve. Source: NHK News / Nikkei
Photo: Fukuoka Now
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