Okinawa to cap number of remote island visitors to prevent 'overtourism'

I get the strong feeling these limits will be overlooked if a lot of bookings come in during the peak season.

What is the worry here ? or am I missing something?

If the Island was seeing about 300,000 visitors each year before COVID arrival what makes them think it's going to increase after?? or is this a PR stunt to make the island look special so people would rush to buy travel tickets? AM I CONFUSED, LOL

One island??? If they're serious they would implement some kind of measures to major tourist spots like Kyoto. Once the Chinese are allowed to travel here freely again it's gonna be 2019 all over again.

I went there once ; they say there are about 16 or 35, I forget, Iriomote nekos out there in amongst the green hills and waterfalls…I didn’t find them, and for one stretch of road I didn’t see anyone else for about three hours. there were crabs and waterfalls and eagles. it’s nice the animals get to win occasionally

If they're serious they would implement some kind of measures to major tourist spots like Kyoto.

For one, the Okinawa government has no say over how Kyoto City is managed.

For another Kyoto is a , major city - not a small island with a delicate natural ecosystem.

Let the bidding begin - imagine how expensive it will be to visit during Golden Week.

A cap on tourism sounds like a good idea but only if there is a cap on accommodation costs so it doesn't become a place only for the super-rich.

I hope that number has a certain percentage set aside for children visiting for academic purposes etc.

I spent two days looking for the wild cats, all I saw was snakes and crabs. Hardly any cars, very beautiful.

Over tourism is a huge problem throughout all of Japan, it really must stop.

Iriomote is on my bucket list. Been to most of the islands round about, never actually made it there.

Yet.

Could be a good solution. One thing I don't like about travelling during weekends and holidays here is the overcrowded places blocking the beautiful natural scenery. I always plan my obon slightly off from everyone else so I can enjoy the sights with peace and serenity.

330,000 per year is 930 average per day

There are 12 sailings from Ishigaki to Iriomote per day. Each ferry has capacity ~100 . Max tourist visits can be ~ 1200 per day

The ferries need to run at 80% capacity all year to achieve 330,000 yearly limit or 100% capacity to achieve 1200 per day limit

Is it a joke?

Nobody is going to Okinawa. It is a marketing scheme or strategy to actually make people think it is a popular destination and make it appear that a lot of people travel there.

Nobody is going to Okinawa

You have ZERO idea of what you are talking about! Tourism is back to pre-covid days for domestic travellers, meaning we will probably get close to 8 MILLION domestic tourists this year alone. Once the foreign tourists come back "full-strength" we will be back around 12 MILLION per year, and that does not include business travelers, which makes Naha AP the 3rd or 4th busiest airport in Japan with nearly 20 Million visitors per year.

And you say nobody is going to Okinawa.

Nobody is going to Okinawa.

Nobody is going to Okinawa.

We’ll be there this summer.

I'm going in May.

Great it’ll be for rich elite folks only

Been there several times. Very lovely place. Didn't ever see an Iriomote neko. Hopefully will get the chance to visit again.

Places want a small number of rich tourists and this sort of thing will spread globally. The rich will pay the extra and avoid the proles. The proles can stay at home and enter a lottery to go anywhere. If you thought the pandemic was being exploited, wait until you see how they exploit climate change. Caps won't even be controversial when war breaks out. No tourists at all then, just rich people with important business abroad, as per the pandemic.

Went to Hateruma quite a few years ago now, very nice. None of the Yayama islands have ever disappointed.

There’s another Nishihama on Aka Island, for some reason written 北浜.

This year though we’ll be on the main island, will probably have some time in Kerama.

I'm going in May.

So am I.

Nobody is going to Okinawa.

You can repeat this to yourself any number of times, but it doesn't make it true.

These numbers are for February 2023, the total number of tourists was 597,900

Domestic 554,500 From outside of Japan 43,400.

I am not making those numbers up either, as they come directly from the Okinawa Prefectural HP

Oh and for the same month, in 2022 the totals were, Total: 179,200

Domestic179,200 From outside of Japan 0

https://www.pref.okinawa.jp/site/bunka-sports/kankoseisaku/kikaku/statistics/tourists/r5-2tourist.html

Limitation is a good idea for these isolated islands both for inhabitants and tourists. Small islands have small capacity for accommodation, supplies and sightseeing spots.