Arab News Japan

A Japanese hotel owner decided to use the internet to his advantage during the coronavirus pandemic to keep his business improving.

Asahi Ryokan hotel in Fukuoka city is giving guests the option to pay ¥100 Japanese yen, or about $1 USD, to have their entire stay livestreamed.

27-year-old Tetsuya Inoue, who runs the hotel, told CNN in an interview that the feed is video-only so that guests have their privacy during conversations or phone calls.

The livestream on his YouTube channel is called One Dollar Hotel. Inoue said guests were even allowed to turn lights on and off, and the bathroom area is out of the camera’s range.

Inoue, who started running the hotel last year, said he was looking into a new business model for the hotel, adding that it needed “something special that everyone will talk about.”

“Young people nowadays don't care much about the privacy," Inoue said. "Some of them say it's okay to be watched for just one day.”

The YouTube channel has already passed 1,000 subscribers, with Inoue saying he is waiting for it to accumulate over 4,000 view hours so that he would be able to monetize his channel and use ads.

According to CNN, on days when the hotel is vacant, he simply posts a livestream of himself working in his office.