New Norms for International Travel After COVID

Japan’s backwardness is keenly felt overseas after a long absence. There is also a story about a failure to go there with the pre-Corona information. ……

It has been about four and a half years since the COVID-19 crisis began in earnest in the spring of 2008. During that time, the world has taken a series of measures to prevent further post-coronas, and in particular, from the perspective of preventing infection, contactless-related measures such as cashless and paperless systems have been progressing rapidly.

Japanese who had not been abroad for some time were surprised to hear such comments as “passport checks were unmanned,” “opportunities to pay with cash have drastically decreased,” and “ride-sharing is too much more convenient than cabs,” while at the same time, there were stories of failure when people went there with pre-Corona information. In particular, many things that Japan has barely begun to deal with by now are already common knowledge and far ahead of the curve in other countries.

Unmanned gates for immigration, Japanese passports accepted in some countries

The first step is immigration inspection. One would expect to wait in line at a manned gate with passport and visa in hand and have them stamped, but unmanned “automated gates” are becoming the norm in developed countries and elsewhere. Getting immigration stamps is a thing of the distant past.

In Paris, France, for example, automated gates now accept Japanese passports. No longer do we have to worry about standing in line at a manned gate and being bombarded with questions in the local language. The same is true in Korea and Singapore.

I visited Thailand in August 2012. Speaking of Thailand, I have stood in long lines for a long time, and more than once I was annoyed at the immigration inspectors who were slowing down their work. The other day, however, the immigration checkpoint for Thai nationals was automated. Other foreigners still have to go through a manned gate, but the staffing has been cut in half, and the process, which used to take about an hour, was completed in just a few minutes.

Major airports in Japan also now direct visitors with Japanese passports to “facial recognition gates. Some people are surprised when they first arrive in Japan after Corona, saying, “Immigration is smoother now that it is no longer manned. However, this is limited to Japanese nationals only, and foreigners are still required to wait in line at manned counters. In particular, due to the large number of inbound passengers, it is not uncommon to wait one to two hours for entry into Japan.

VISA Touch” on subways and buses, spreading to remote areas overseas

Next, how to pay when riding public transportation such as trains and buses overseas. Until now, it has been common to “buy a ticket at the station” or “obtain a transportation system IC card, charge the local currency and use it.

However, after Corona, we have heard one after another, “I was surprised that I could use my VISA card to ride the subway overseas. This is commonly known as “VISA touch,” and is gradually being introduced in stores and transportation facilities in Japan as well.

In Singapore, all MRT (subway) stations and bus lines are touch-sensitive. In Hong Kong, buses, Hong Kong’s famous double-decker tram, and the MRT can be boarded with touch-sensitive payment. On the other hand, in Thailand, the MRT is supported, but the BTS (Bangkok Skytrain) is not. In Taiwan, only the Taoyuan Airport MRT (Taoyuan Airport Mass Rapid Transit) from Taipei Taoyuan International Airport can be used with touch-sensitive payment.

The introduction of touch payment is also progressing outside of urban areas. When I visited Corfu Island, Greece, in June 2011, I was really surprised when I found that touch-sensitive payment was available on all bus routes. Although the island is registered as a World Heritage site, it is only during the summer vacation season that it is crowded with tourists. Even on such an island, VISA touch is widespread.

However, just as in Japan, where VISA touch is still only available in a very small portion of the country, it is not always possible to use it in unexpected countries and regions. Subways and buses in South Korea, which has long been called a card-advanced country, still cannot be used. Get the “T-money” transportation system IC card, and, moreover, it can only be charged in cash, so if you don’t exchange more money first, you will be in trouble later.

Local “cash NG” is on the rise, and some people have failed at currency exchange.

Touch payment is now a common practice when shopping overseas. There is no need to scan or insert a credit card at a terminal or even enter one’s PIN code.

While card payments rather than cash have been the norm in developed countries since before the COVID-19 crisis, the number of “cash-payment NGs” has also increased after the COVID-19 crisis. In Finland, I saw “CASH NG” posted at the cash register of a cafe. Another Japanese traveler said, “In Busan, Korea, I tried to pay with cash (won) at Starbucks and was told ‘cash NG.

If cash is used less frequently and cash payment is NG, one may wonder, “How much money should I exchange locally? In fact, there are quite a few people who say, “I exchanged the same amount of money into the local currency as I did before Corona, but I didn’t have a chance to use it, so I had a surplus of cash. Since a commission is charged each time you exchange money, you should be very careful when exchanging money.

Ride-sharing” is common practice, but Japan is actually the slowest in this area.

Ride-sharing services such as “Uber” are commonplace in foreign countries. It is a valuable means of local transportation for travelers.

For example, “Uber” is becoming popular in the U.S., Europe, and India. At major airports, dedicated “Uber” stands have been set up beyond cab stands. In Thailand, Singapore, and other countries, “Grab” is the mainstream, but the method of use is almost the same as that of Uber.

Ride-sharing services are very convenient,” says a person who has used them in other countries. In the past, there were many cases in Southeast Asia where cab drivers tried to cheat on the fare when they found out the driver was Japanese and got into trouble.

Ridesharing is becoming an indispensable tool for international travel nowadays, with comments such as “It’s a little more expensive than cabs, but it’s good to know the fare at the beginning,” “I don’t have to explain in detail to the driver because I make arrangements by entering my destination,” and “I can now go to inconvenient places by ridesharing, which has broadened my range of activities.

The Era of “Smartphone as Room Key” at Hotels

Some hotel guests were also puzzled by the sudden shift to DX, saying “I checked in using an app” or “My guest room key was on my smartphone. Hilton hotels, for example, are promoting the use of electronic keys (digital keys), which not only allow guests to enter their rooms, but also to enter the hotel’s lounge and gym. This is convenient for those who know how to use them, but difficult for those who are not accustomed to using them.

In addition, there are an increasing number of accommodations, especially private accommodations such as Airbnb, where the front desk is unmanned from the beginning and guests check in by themselves using a tablet terminal placed at the entrance. If any problems arise, they can be handled remotely. Hotels are also becoming increasingly unmanned.

If you are planning to travel abroad in the near future, please carefully plan your trip with this in mind, as foreign countries are ahead of us in every aspect.