• Japan Airlines is offering a same-day luggage delivery service for visitors to Tokyo.
• The service costs $29, and the airline says it will help combat "congestion" on public transport.
• The weak yen has made Japan a popular destination for visitors from countries including the US.

Japan Airlines is offering to deliver luggage to your hotel or accommodation when you visit Tokyo.

The same-day service costs 4,500 yen ($29) per suitcase and is available from terminal three at Haneda Airport.

JAL said the initiative will help "address social issues such as congestion in public transportation and the shortage of storage lockers," as well as making life easier for tourists.

The "Baggage-Free" service, which is also available for Japanese residents, covers 14 districts in Tokyo including Shinjuku.

Millions of visitors have been flocking to Japan to take advantage of the weak yen.

The Japanese government expects to surpass its target of 32 million visitors this year following a very busy summer, with a record 3.2 million tourists in July, about 66% more than the same month in 2023.

Just over 250,000 Americans visited in July, up 26% year-on-year.

Amrita Banta, managing director of luxury insights firm Agility Research & Strategy, previously told BI that luxury and designer stores in Tokyo were proving popular.

Banta, who visited Tokyo in the summer, said high-end stores started admitting customers by appointment to cope with demand.

Neighborhoods such as Shibuya and Harajuku in Tokyo are busier than ever, with higher prices at restaurants and hotels triggering frustration and anti-tourist sentiment among some residents.

Some places in Japan are taking steps to mitigate the impact of over-tourism.

In May, a mesh barrier was erected in the town of Fujikawaguchiko to block views of Mount Fuji for tourists gathering in crowds, leaving trash, and ignoring traffic signs.

Foreshadowing its luggage delivery service, JAL started offering tourists free flights in September to lesser-known destinations in Japan.

That move may not help solve the overtourism problem, Ben Julius, the founder of tour operator Tourist Japan, previously told BI.

"The majority of visitors are first-time visitors. And when people visit Japan for the first time, they won't miss the must-see cities," he said.

• Christian Louboutin is working to protect his secret hideaway in Portugal from overtourism.
• The French designer's aim is to prevent the town of Melides from becoming the next St. Tropez.
• But the area is becoming an A-lister hot spot, drawing the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Christian Louboutin is trying to keep a tiny town near the coast of Portugal low-key, but as real estate developers open five-star resorts and sprawling golf clubs nearby, drawing A-listers and royalty, his effort might be in vain.

The French designer, 61, told Bloomberg that the rural village of Melides, nestled within the Alentejo region of Portugal, is grappling with an influx of tourism and the impacts of climate change.

Louboutin, who came across Melides over a decade ago, has a personal stake in the town with a population of around 1,500.

Not only does he own a home there, but in 2023, he opened a 13-room boutique hotel in Melides with plans to open a second.

While stopping tourism completely isn't part of his mission, Louboutin is dedicated to preserving the Melides he first fell in love with.

"People are touched by authenticity and we need to keep it that way," Louboutin told Bloomberg. "Don't expect Melides to become like St. Tropez. It's not going to happen."

Representatives for Louboutin did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.

A best-kept secret no more

But whether Louboutin likes it or not, the once-upon-a-time lowkey getaway is now squarely on the map — thanks in part to the development of a series of luxury resorts and private members clubs nearby.

Just a 15-minute drive from Melides lies Costa Terra, a 722-acre luxury resort community and gold club built by US real estate developer Discovery Land Company.

The company is headed up by Mike Meldman, who cofounded Casa Amigos with George Clooney.

The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the club last year. Since then, speculation has been rife that the couple, who are based in Montecito, California, bought a property within the gated community.

The Sussexes aren't the only A-listers rumored to have bought into Costa Terra — reports have also associated George Clooney, Paris Hilton, and Sharon Stone with the development.

Representatives for Costa Terra did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Alongside Costa Terra, several other glitzy developments are cropping up near Melides, including a 175-house residential project under development by Vanguard Properties and one on the Tróia peninsula built by Inditex billionaire Amancio Ortega's daughter.

Priced out

Vitor Paiva, a license partner at the Comporta branch of real estate agency Engel & Völkers, says the Portuguese government has set limits on touristic beds that prevent the area surrounding Melides from becoming as saturated with tourists as hot spots like St. Tropez or Monoco.

However, Paiva said the tourists that are now coming to the area are more affluent and "sophisticated" than those before, which means the small villages are changing from their rustic roots.

"New investors, customers coming, they ask for more modern services," he told BI. "They want to have the very good beach restaurants, luxury restaurants, high-quality services."

As a result, some locals in towns in the region are feeling priced out, Paiva said.

"Local restaurants are closing, even the small coffee shops for the locals, they are closing and being upgraded with more sophisticated coffee shops," he said. "In some cases, we are seeing the locals struggle."

In Melides, the idea of a rustic town remaining a secret oasis is slipping away.

But Louboutin isn't giving up on his aim to protect it.

He cofounded Intertidal Melides, a community-led organization rallying local landowners and business owners to preserve the local environment.

"Tourists come here for the beauty of this place," Louboutin told Bloomberg. "So we need to just keep it that way."