Kyoto is now attracting attention for its Web 3.0 business support support, which is being promoted in the midst of adversity, including a sharp decline in tourism income and debt problems.
Kyoto Prefecture is said to be currently facing three issues. These three issues are a declining population, debt, and a sharp decrease in tourism income.
The population, which is declining steadily, and the problem of debt repayment, which is said to cause a shortfall of 280 billion yen in financial resources over the next five years, are important issues, but the most urgent issue is tourism income, which has plummeted due to the Corona disaster, because it is directly related to the debt repayment problem.
In fact, before the Corona disaster, Kyoto Prefecture's tourism income peaked in 2015, when the annual number of tourists, including domestic and international, exceeded 56 million, and was in a gradual downtrend to 52.75 million in 2018. In addition to the disappearance of inbound tourism, school excursions, which had been a stable source of income, declined sharply in 2020, and statistics could not even be compiled.
Under these circumstances, Kyoto Prefecture has launched the “Kyoto Smart Society Promotion Plan,” which aims to create a society where all residents can enjoy the benefits of digital technology.