There has been a big increase in tourism in Japan over the past few years and the latest “tourists behaving badly” story is that a lot of tourists are abandoning old luggage in hotels, airports, in the streets, etc. You have to pay the equivalent of about 3 Euro or so to dispose of a suitcase properly. I’ve never heard of this being a problem in other countries, but I’m curious if it’s something that happens where you’re from?
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When I was in Japan, I saw these warnings in every hotel that people who abandon their luggage will be charged x amount of money. I was also wondering why it’s a problem there. I don’t think it’s a problem here.
How could that possibly be enough of a thing for it to become an issue? Like people generally want to return with their stuff.
No,I don’t think so.
I have friends, former students and also family members who work in the hospitality industry in Italy and this is not an issue they ever mention.
I can understand that some people buy a new suitcase while travelling and abandon the old one. I’ve even done it myself twice.
I can also understand that some struggle to get rid of it in the right way so just leave it in their hotel room or at the airport when realizing they can’t bring it back.
However, I really wonder how it can be common enough to be seen as a huge issue. Sounds like a couple of stories started to spread and then the whole thing blew out of proportion.
And no, I’ve never heard of it as a common issue before
Never heard of it.
Im guessing that there are two reasons for Japan:
People buy a lot of japanese stuff because it’s cool for them.
Japan is far away so adding additional luggage to your fly ticked is expensive.
Ddin’t know this was a thing
Why would people do it? Like they have extra suitcases in them when travelling?
I’ve heard that leaving winter clothing at resorts in Lapland is relatively common, people coming from warmer climates won’t need them anymore. I’m not sure if anyone considers it a huge problem, only if they’re put to trash.
no, however in Barcelona they have trashcans that ppl can use. it is notoriously difficult to throw away bulky stuff in Japan (have to get a sticker from the local government have to be on a certain day etc) I wonder if the hotels could offer the service for a set amount of money. I don’t think that most tourists would even think that is not as easy as leave it near a trash can.
It’s just Japanese media manufacturing “an issue” from singular anecdotes. Media loves to do that, same situation – everyone heard about vending machines selling used female underwear in Japan. Maybe it happened somewhere once, but it was never a widespread thing.
Never heard of it and I can’t really see how it would be much of an issue.
It’s apparently a huge thing in the north of Norway. Rich people from China or the south of Europe buy expensive jackets and boots for their northern lights hunts and then leave them at the hotel or Airbnb when they leave because they don’t expect to need them back home.
If a random suitcase is left in a crowded public place, the place is cordoned off and the bomb squad is called. Not kidding.
I am guilty of leaving behind floaties in seaside hotels and hiking shoes in mountain hotels.
Back in the Soviet times the department store next to three railway stations in Moscow reportedly suffered from people leaving their worn-out old clothing and shoes there after buying new ones.
It’s a cultural faux pas for sure. The idea of paying for waste disposal is not obvious to a lot of people. Or that a hotel or especially an Airbnb might have to do it on your behalf and eat the cost.
In French railway stations if they find an unattended luggage they usually close the whole station until the bomb squad arrives and neutralises the luggage.
Winter tourists in my city often leave their purpose bought winter clothing behind when leaving, but it’s not really an issue since the clothes are often just given away or sold at a good price to those who need them/rented out to other tourists.
It’s horribly wasteful on the tourists part, but with next to no effort it can be made into a win win. There’s always someone who needs winter clothes.
Not tourists, but immigrants & smugglers litter the countryside with abandoned getaway cars.
Thsi sounds really weird to me. Like whole suitcases?
I have an old broken suitcase in my storage that I’m not sure what to do with, but leaving it in a public place would never cross my mind.
That said, I often leave single items behind while traveling. When I was backpacking SEA for a longer period, the rule was “one in, one out”. If i bought a new pice of clothing I left another one. And I always leave the books I finish. But whatever i leave, i either dispose of it properly or leave it somewhere, where it can be used by others.
Perhaps they just don’t want to throw it to trash if it is in good shape and could still be used by someone else