[On-Site Report]
An online bus tour started by a small bus tour company in western Japan is growing in popularity. Participants are sent food and drinks from the tour destination in advance and are able to enjoy them while listening to the tour conductor from the comfort of their homes. Another advantage these online tours offer clients is the lack of travel time between destinations. Realizing that these virtual tours can allow clients to participate from anywhere in the world, the tour company has also created tours for clients in the United States in an effort to expand on what was once a completely domestic client base. This episode focuses on how the pandemic has forced a local tour company to shift its business model in order to survive.
[In Depth: China Gives Agriculture Tech Boost]
China is gearing up to digitalize its agricultural industry to make farming more profitable. It is hoping that the shift will help close the income gap between urban and rural households. We see how these efforts are helping farmers.
[Global Trends: Pandemic Turns Chinese Thrifty]
In China, being seen as a cheapskate can bring shame. But that has been changing during the economic uncertainty of the coronavirus era. A website showing people how to save money is a hit with younger people. Some of them did not have savings when the virus appeared. We take a look at changes in consumer awareness among young Chinese, and how their new thrifty habits will affect the future of consumption in China, and the global economy.