JAPAN plans to expand its tourism base and has its eyes peeled on the emerging Asian leisure and MICE markets.
Asia already dominates Japan’s top five inbound line-up – South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the US – but senior vice minister, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Ken Okuda, said the nation would be “expanding activities” to grow North-east Asia markets further and tap South-east Asian markets.
Okuda, speaking at the recent WTTC Global Summit in Tokyo, unveiled a target of 18 million international arrivals by 2016 – a figure below the record 18.6 million foreign arrivals achieved in 2010, and also lower than the target before the tsunami of 20 million by 2016, as shown in a 2010 Japan National Tourism Organization document.
But, more than an arrival numbers game, the tragedy appears a watershed in stirring Japan to go with new ways in rebuilding its tourism industry. Okuda said “creative innovation” was required.
“It is important we capture Asia sophisticatedly and by highlighting new assets that show Japan is unique and unforgettable,” said Okuda. He gave the examples that Japan cuisine was not just sushi and tempura; it had unique Chinese, French and Italian traits with Japanese refinement. It was not just a land of automobiles, but had whole districts devoted to pop culture and electronics, such as Akihabara.
Hiromi Tagawa, JTB Corp president and CEO, urged tour companies to become “real DMCs” and remodel their offerings.
Atsutoshi Nishida, chairman and CEO of Japan Travel and Tourism Association, said Japan was committed not only to recovery, but “to creating something even better than (before) March 11”.
– Read the full report in TTG Asia, May 4 issue, 2012
