Private lodging promoting rural tourism, solving hotel shortfalls

Local governments in Japan are responding to an influx of tourists into rural areas by inviting homeowners to open their doors to travelers, amid an acute accommodation shortage at hotels and other boarding facilities.The emerging "minpaku" industry, which has become especially popular in tourist areas, allows homeowners to take payment from travelers for lodging them in their homes, apartments and other rooms, while also providing a more culturally authentic experience.But because the system is poorly publicized, there is still resistance from landlords unwilling to put up strangers, even …READ FULL ARTICLE