【Improvement of Conditions for Sustaining the World Heritage Site】
As described earlier, various travel and transportation companies have merchandised ideas in order to respond to the demands for climbing Mt. Fuji which is to be registered as a World Heritage Site. Rakten Travel announced in end of May that the number of accommodation reservations have shown an incredible increase due to the recommendation for Mt. Fuji to be registered as a World Heritage Site.
Meanwhile, Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures which anticipated the registration of Mt. Fuji as a World Heritage Site have submitted The Request Concerning Fuji Climbing to Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) in joint names of the Governor of both prefectures. The request asks to refrain from “bullet climbing” in which the climbers keep on climbing all night without taking enough rest. Of the 400,000 to 350,000 yearly Fiji climbers, slightly over 30% are estimated to be “bullet” climbers, and therefore is a “situation which cannot be neglected” in order to ensure safe climbing conditions. Although the tours introduced in this article do not apply, it is important to grasp actual situation as such.
Presenting a problem such as above is only an example. Presently-disputed admission fee and restriction on the number of climbers are expected to be implemented with the official registration of Mt. Fuji as a World Legacy Site. Improving the conditions for sustaining Mt. Fuji as a World Heritage Site and increasing the number of tourists to the Mt. Fuji area are tasks for every party associated with the travel and tourism business. Successive ideas from the companies which developed the characteristic tours introduced in this article are anticipated.
(Travel Voice Editorial Department)
