Japan tourism company faces 20,000 cancellations from coronavirus outbreak

Tokyo (CNN) — The phone lines at Kamome, a Tokyo-based travel agency that specializes in tours for Chinese travelers, haven't stopped buzzing for the last three days.

On Sunday, China announced a ban on outbound group travel as part of its battle to stop the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, which has killed 82 people and infected 2,700 in the country.

That has caused cancellation mayhem for Kamome's staff as more than 20,000 of the company's Chinese package tour customers pulled the plug on all trips to Japan up to February 10.

With Japan receiving approximately 9.6 million visitors from China in 2019, accounting for a third of foreign tourist expenditure in the country, speculation is growing around the ramifications the travel ban will have on Japan's tourism industry and economy.

"We are concerned about the decrease in Chinese tourists, but we cannot foresee the outcome as it depends on how long the (Chinese) policy lasts," Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) spokeswoman, Shiho Himuro, told CNN.