Photo/Illutration Novotel Nara staff offer services in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese. (Ko Sendo)

NARA--Countless tourists have fed the deer here, but how many have stayed overnight? In the prefectural government's opinion, not enough, and people are missing out.

French hotel brand Novotel's newly opened location is part of a prefectural program to entice more visitors into getting to know the city better.

“Nara should no longer be solely a day trip destination, and we'll play a role in achieving that goal,” said Novotel Nara manager Makoto Kaida at the hotel's opening ceremony on Sept. 4. 

Kaida highlighted a longstanding challenge facing Nara's tourism industry: Tourists often exclusively visit the iconic Nara Park, spend a few hours exploring and then leave the city the same day. 

The number of overnight stays in the prefecture was 2.64 million last year, ranking fourth lowest in the nation, according to the Japan Tourism Agency. 

Prefectural officials attribute this to the limited number of accommodation facilities. In 2021, they set a goal of increasing the number of guest rooms by 1.2 times to 12,000 by the end of fiscal 2025.

To achieve this, the prefecture introduced a subsidy program for businesses constructing hotels.

Novotel Nara is one of the first operators to receive the 200 million yen ($1.4 million) subsidy and it is the brand's second location in the country.

A Toyoko Inn hotel in Tenri, which was also awarded the subsidy, opened in October last year. Two other hotels with the program will soon begin operations as well.

While it is European-owned, the contemporary Novotel Nara's intent is to introduce guests to the area in style. Despite its rich historical and cultural heritage, the ancient capital has often been overshadowed by the larger, more popular cities of Kyoto and Osaka.

The hotel's restaurant offers dishes featuring locally produced ingredients while its rooftop terrace has a sweeping view of the city and surrounding mountains. 

Nara Palace Site Historical Park is nearby, as is Kintetsu Shin-Omiya Station. 

The Prefectural Convention Center is another close landmark—Novotel Nara is eyeing the growing "bleisure" demographic of travelers who combine business trips with vacation activities

The 264 rooms range in price from 20,000 yen to 100,000 yen depending on the season and room type.

"With inbound tourism booming and the Osaka-Kansai Expo approaching next year, accommodation demands in the prefecture continue to grow," Nara Governor Makoto Yamashita said at the ceremony.

Related News