Rakuten Travel Opens Bookings for Kyushu Recovery Discount
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Rakuten Travel, a popular Japanese travel booking website, began accepting reservations for a special subsidy program on September 25.
The program, called the "Kyushu Recovery Discount," offers cheaper travel to parts of Kyushu, an island in southern Japan.
Bookings opened for Miyazaki and Oita prefectures through Rakuten Travel on this date.
Saga prefecture also joined the program, starting its own reservations later the same day at 12 p.m.
Fukuoka prefecture began accepting bookings for the discount as well.
However, major booking sites such as Jalan and Rakuten Travel had not yet opened Fukuoka reservations at that time.
On the first day of the program in Fukuoka, the local government's phone lines were extremely busy.
People described the phones as "ringing nonstop" as residents tried to get information.
There was some confusion, since many callers had to wait while the prefecture's office worked through its procedures.
The Fukuoka prefectural government said online bookings would begin "once preparations are complete."
The Kyushu Recovery Discount appears to be part of a wider effort to support tourism in the region, though full details of the program were not given in the report.
Vocabulary7 words
- subsidy
- money given to make something cheaper
- recovery
- getting better after a difficult period
- Kyushu
- a large island in southern Japan
- prefecture
- a region or area of Japan, like a state
- procedures
- the official steps needed to do something
- tourism
- traveling for fun or vacation
- reservation
- a booking made in advance for a room or service
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Bookings for a travel discount in Miyazaki and Oita 2. They had not yet opened reservations for the discount 3. Residents were calling about the discount program
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Rakuten Travel, a popular Japanese travel booking website, began accepting reservations for a special _____ program on September 25.
The program, called the "Kyushu Recovery Discount," offers cheaper travel to parts of _____, an island in southern Japan.
Bookings opened for Miyazaki and Oita _____ through Rakuten Travel on this date.
Saga prefecture also joined the program, starting its own reservations later the same day at _____ p.m.
Fukuoka prefecture began accepting _____ for the discount as well.
However, major booking sites such as Jalan and Rakuten Travel had not yet opened Fukuoka _____ at that time.
On the first day of the program in Fukuoka, the local government's phone lines were extremely _____.
People described the phones as "ringing _____" as residents tried to get information.
There was some confusion, since many callers had to wait while the prefecture's office worked through its _____.
The Fukuoka prefectural government said online bookings would begin "once _____ are complete."
Discussion questions
- Why do you think governments offer travel discounts like this one?
- What problems can happen when a new booking system starts?
- Have you ever tried to book something online when many other people were also trying?
- Do you think phone lines or websites are better for handling booking rushes? Why?
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