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Day: September 15, 2022

TOUR

Japan Is Allowing 50,000 Visitors Daily With Non-Guided Package Tours Starting 7 September

by Tracy J. Chu

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on 31 August that Japan will allow more than double the number of daily visitors as well as non-guided package tours.

As per the announcement, Japan will let 50,000 people enter the country daily starting 7 September. The current figure stands at 20,000.

japan-to-allow-non-guided-tourism-and-raise-daily-entry-caps” data-ylk=”slk:Bloomberg” class=”link “Bloomberg reports that Kishida also said that he wanted to increase visits from people trying to take advantage of a cheap Japanese yen and, as such, wanted to ease border controls.

How Japan started its reopening

Initial rules were extremely strict

Japan

Image credit: Jezael Melgoza/@jezar/Unsplash

Japan opened its doors to foreign tourists in June under a series of strict rules including that visitors will have to take guided tours, be triple vaccinated, and have private medical insurance.

kishida-covid/” data-ylk=”slk:The Japan Times” class=”link “The Japan Times noted that foreign tourists who are visiting under the strict guided package tours are unhappy with the system. This has also resulted in a very small number of visitors to the country.

Though the latest announcement makes allowance for non-guided packaged tours, The Japan Times report says that the details of what is meant by a “packaged tour” was not made immediately clear.

Aim to boost Japan’s tourism economy

In any case, the 31 August announcement is the latest in a series of decisions Japan has taken in the recent months to ease its extremely strict COVID-19 rules and bring the country’s border measures closer to the systems in place in the Group of Seven nations — an aim that Kishida had revealed in May.

The easing of restrictions is, of course, designed to give a boost to Japan’sJapan’s ailing tourism industry. As per Bloomberg, while there were 31.9 million foreign visitors in 2019, the figure

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TRAVELLING

iOS 16’s 2 Essential Updates for Apple Maps: How They Make Travel Easier

by Tracy J. Chu

This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Apple’s most popular product.

Today’s release of iOS 16 — Apple’s latest version of its iPhone operating system — adds a long list of cool, new features, and Apple Maps showcases several of them. Some of the additions to Apple Maps include high-resolution imagery for apps such as Zillow and new tools for developers that could make rentable scooters and bikes easier to find.

Along with these updates, Apple Maps will roll out its redesigned map in 11 more countries later this year. Those features include cycling directions and Look Around, a new 3D city experience. It also plans to add detailed maps for 16 more major cities in the US and across the world.

Two of the biggest new features for iPhone users, however, are more immediately apparent — multistop routing for directions and more comprehensive information about public transit options. Read on to learn how these new features will work on your iPhone. For more, see how iOS 16 will now let you edit or unsend text messages you’ve already sent.

Apple event: Full coverage

Multistop routing finally lands on Apple Maps

If you often use Google Maps for features that Apple Maps lacks, that could change now that iOS 16 is here. One major update for the native iPhone Maps app is called multistop routing. Apple has said previously that it was one of its “most requested features.”

With this new feature, you can now plan up to 15 stops on your iPhone. You can also start planning your trip on your Mac and send it to your iPhone when you’re ready to go. Maps will store your previous routes in Recents so they’re easier to find when planning

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HOTEL

Two Texas resorts make list

by Tracy J. Chu

A recent report from NBC News Today named the “22 best hotels with water parks“ across the U.S. and abroad and two Texas hotels made the list. Here are the 22 resorts deemed the best hotels with water parks on the planet.

In Texas, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa and Gaylord Texan in Grapevine were deemed the best hotels with water parks on the planet. The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa locale boasts a 1,100-foot lazy river, sand beach pool, tube slides and more.

The Gaylord Texan offers a 10-acre water park and lazy river complex featuring a 6,000-square-foot family lagoon, a multi-level water playhouse, a 600-foot lazy river to drift on and four winding waterslides, to name a few water park amenities. 

On the East Coast, the East Coast Kalahari Resort, Poconos in Pennsylvania made the list along with the Great Wolf Lodge in Boston. Florida’s JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort was listed as the categorical “front runner” in the Sunshine State, according to the report, with the Margaritaville and Four Seasons Orlando also making the cut.

Tennessee and Arizona made the roundup with the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, the Westin Kierland in Scottsdale and the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in the top 22.

On the West Coast, California was well represented on the list with the Courtyard Anaheim, Hyatt Aviara, Westin Mission Hills and the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa all making the top 22.

In Hawaii, the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Hale Koa Hotel are listed. International options include the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic and El Conquistador in Puerto Rico.

Three Mexican resorts made the list including the Grand Moon Palace, Hard Rock Riviera and the Finest Playa Mujeres. Dubai’s Atlantis

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