ＧｏＴｏ、予算枠を追加配分　政府、３５％割引維持―予約サイトも元通りに

　政府は１３日、観光支援事業「Ｇｏ　Ｔｏ　トラベル」の割引原資となる給付金枠を民間旅行会社に追加配分する方針を表明した。政府は３５％の割引幅を維持する構えで、給付金枠の不足を理由に旅行予約サイトによって条件がばらつく事態は解消される。ただ、問題が続出した同事業の「トラブル体質」を改めて印象付けた形で、利用客や旅行業界に不安を残した。
　大手予約サイトの「Ｙａｈｏｏ！トラベル」や「じゃらん」は、予算枠が不足する恐れがあるとして、旅行費用の３５％、最大１万４０００円まで受けられる割引の上限額を一時３５００円に引き下げた。政府方針を受け、両社は１３日午後から元の割引上限に戻した。割引制限を受けた予約も本来の上限額までの適用を受けられる見込みだ。
　赤羽一嘉国土交通相は１３日の閣議後記者会見で、「３５％の割引を堅持する」と強調。民間各社の予約実績などを踏まえ「機動的に追加配分する仕組みにしたい」との考えを示した。今回の事態を招いたことについては「国民に混乱を生じさせた」と陳謝した。（2020/10/13-17:56）

The Japanese government will provide private-sector travel companies with more funds for covering the costs of discounts under its Go To Travel tourism promotion program, tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said Tuesday.
   The move comes after major travel-booking website operators scaled back such discounts due to a shortage of funds allocated from the state. The government hopes to avoid confusion by helping travel firms continue offering to customers discounts equivalent to 35 pct of travel costs, for up to 14,000 yen per person per night, through the additional funding.
   At a press conference, Akaba said that the government plans to start handing out additional funds "flexibly" based on booking records of travel companies.
   Some major travel-booking sites, including Yahoo! Travel and Jalan.net, have lowered their discount limits to 3,500 yen, out of fear that they will run out of the funds that were distributed to them beforehand.
   "We've been informed by the (website) operators that they will resume the 35 pct discounts by no later than Wednesday morning," Akaba said. He also said that people who have booked their trips with the limited discounts will be allowed to enjoy the program to its full extent.