Discontent among residents of Kyoto over the rising number of visitors propelled Koji Matsui to victory in the city’s mayoral election on Sunday, but travel industry experts warn some of his campaign pledges to rein them in could be difficult to implement and damage Japan’s tourism sector.
They said that while there needed to be a discussion about the problem of over-tourism in Kyoto, which is considered one of Japan’s “must-see” travel destinations, some of Matsui’s promises – such as raising fares for buses and trains for visitors, and restricting non-residents’ cars from entering the city – could cause even greater problems.
The solution, they suggest, is a more radical rethink of the ancient capital’s approach to tourism that satisfies both residents and visitors.
More than 43.6 million tourists visited Kyoto in 2022, of whom around 576,000 were foreign nationals, more than double the figure of the previous year, when virtually everyone was a domestic visitor due to border restrictions.
The resort is now offering free morning fitness classes on the shore of its mountain lake at the Rosa Beach area, located 560 meters above sea level. These invigorating sessions run every week from Thursday to Sunday, led by qualified instructors
Sochi is set to expand its conservation efforts with the creation of four new specially protected natural areas. This initiative builds on significant greening efforts already underway in the city
Russia has significantly updated its environmental protection, land use, forestry, and biodiversity regulations. Under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev, hundreds of outdated and redundant legal acts are set to be revoked or revised by September 1, 2025, as part of President Vladimir Putin's "regulatory guillotine" initiative
A new rail link is planned to connect the airports of Sochi, Russia, and Sukhumi, Abkhazia, within the next two years. Abkhazian President Badr Gunba announced the project, which will extend the existing electric train service from Sirius to Sukhumi, launched on May 1st
On June 6, 2025, the first international eco-festival of the year will take place on the Dnieper embankment in Smolensk. This event is part of the all-Russian "Water of Russia" campaign under the national project "Environmental Well-being," and will involve local residents, government representatives, and public organizations
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