The Japanese government is expected to lift visa restrictions on Chinese tourists even more in 2011 to attract more tourists to visit and shop in the country, a Japanese media reported earlier.
Reports in local media claim that the Japanese government is likely to allow middle-class Chinese families with certain income level and employment status to travel to Japan under an individual-scheme, without joining group tours. In 2009, Japan decided to allow Chinese citizens who earn CNY250,000 a year to make individual trips to the country. in July, 2009, Japan lowered the threshold annual income for an individual Chinese tourist to CNY60,000.
In addition, the Japanese government plans to issue multiple-entry visas to individual Chinese tourists, allowing them to enter Japan as many times as they wish during its period of validity.
According to official figures, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan rose 43.4% year on year to more than 1.35 million during the period from January to November 2010.
全球住宿共享巨头Airbnb（爱彼迎）近日悄悄推出了自己的“故事”板块。据传，爱彼迎已经向一些用户发送了试用邀请，目前这项业务仅适用于最新的iPhone App中的故事板块，视频长度被限制在每条10秒以内，并可附上时间、地点、旅行时长和感想。这些内容会被自动链接到故事内容的拍摄地，并与所在的民宿产品关联。 (more…)
总部位于北京的智能旅行箱开发公司ForwardX近日宣布获得1000万美元融资，由鼎晖投资领投，钟鼎创投参投。同时，该公司还新推出了一款可以“看见”的行李箱 OVIS 用来解放旅行者的双手。 (more…)
总部位于上海的出境游民宿预订平台Ostay近期获得了来自英诺天使的Pre-A轮融资，金额为1000万。 (more…)
国内领先的微信公众平台开发服务商微盟近日宣布与微信酒店直销平台运营商广州向蜜鸟网络科技有限公司签署收购协议。本次收购完成后，向蜜鸟将成为微盟的控股子公司，也标志着微盟正式进军智慧酒店市场。 (more…)
精品度假酒店品牌诗莉莉近日宣布完成B轮及B+轮融资，共计1亿元人民币。B轮融资由五岳资本领投，经纬中国跟投；B+轮融资由青松基金领投，五岳资本跟投。此前，该公司曾获得来自经纬中国的1亿元A轮融资。 (more…)