Kumamoto Tourism Reels from Devastating Earthquake Impact

The recent massive earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture has dealt a devastating blow to the tourism industry. According to the prefectural government, the July 28 earthquake caused about 4.04 billion yen in damage to hotel buildings and equipment. Additionally, around 146,000 people canceled their hotel bookings by August 6, resulting in losses of approximately 2.06 billion yen.

The cancellations were not limited to areas directly affected by the quake. In fact, about 60% of the cancellations were made in the Aso and Amakusa areas, which suffered relatively little damage. Kumamoto Governor Takashi Kimura warned against spreading ungrounded information, stating that there are still unaffected areas within the prefecture.

A local Japanese-style inn in Kamiamakusa city faced a surge of cancellations after the quake. The inn had already been struggling with the aftermath of last year's flooding and soaring costs, as well as recovering from the COVID-19 crisis. The landlady, Kayomi Nakashima, expressed her frustration, saying 'There's no light at the end of the tunnel.'