Japan has a rather unusual tourist problem. The country is a popular travel destination, but hotels and airports are currently reaching their limits. Not due to increasing numbers of guests, but because many tourists simply leave their old suitcases behind when departing Japan. TRAVELBOOK explains what’s behind this.
Most of us have probably experienced buying too many souvenirs on vacation. The only solution is an extra bag or a larger suitcase to bring all the mementos home. In Japan, however, hotels and airports are facing an unusual problem. Tourists not only buy new suitcases but also leave their old luggage behind.
Hotels Are Left with the Costs
According to the news portal “First Post,” a survey by the Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau found that more than 80 percent of the hotels surveyed complain about abandoned suitcases. For hotels, this means not only more work but also costs. Hotel guests are first contacted, and the old luggage is stored in the lost and found for a few weeks. If there is no response, it is eventually disposed of. This can cost hotels several thousand euros a year.
According to “First Post,” the Best Western Hotel Fino Osaka Shinsaibashi reports about three or four suitcases left in rooms on some days. Disposal cost the hotel more than 1,700 euros last year.
Also interesting: “I Wanted to Fly–But My Suitcase Was Too Light”
Major Security Risk at Airports
While abandoned suitcases are already a problem for hotels in Japan, they pose a real security risk at airports. We all know what it’s like when an unattended suitcase is found in the terminal. Several police officers must ensure that the luggage poses no risk, such as containing explosives or similar items.
In Japan, however, it’s not just isolated pieces of luggage that are occasionally forgotten. Narita International Airport near Tokyo reported more than 1,000 abandoned suitcases last year alone.
System for Proper Suitcase Disposal to Be Established
The growing suitcase problem may be due to the fact that large pieces of luggage are reportedly relatively inexpensive in Japan. When tourists want to take their purchased souvenirs home, they buy a new suitcase and leave the old one behind–without considering that it needs to be disposed of.
A professor from Ryukoku University told “First Post” that a system needs to be established to give tourists the opportunity to properly dispose of their suitcases. Some hotels and airports are already addressing the problem by working with cleaning services that handle the disposal of old luggage.
The post More Tourists Are Leaving Their Luggage Behind in Japan–Here’s Why appeared first on TRAVELBOOK.
AloJapan.com