Plans also call for installing digitized displays at the Miyajima History and Folklore Museum and reducing plastic bottle consumption by urging visitors to bring reusable bottles. Annual visitors to Miyajima reached a staggering 4.66 million in 2019. But the following year the number dropped by half, to 2.21 million, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The figure fell further to 1.88 million last year. The city of Hatsukaichi plans to promote eco-friendly tourism, organize events off season and make use of digital technology under its "Miyajima renaissance" program announced in May. The new tax will help finance those objectives.