Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu city, Kagawa Prefecture
Travel companies based in some of Japan’s more remote regions have welcomed news that the national government is to provide 9 billion yen (US$84.1 million) to promote off-the-beaten-path destinations in the country.
The funds are to be provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism over three years from 2017, with subsidies initially earmarked for between 10 and 20 model areas proposed by municipal governments.
The government wants the funds to be used to promote areas with features that are unique to Japan, such as castles or natural attractions, and ultimately turn them into globally recognised tourist attractions.
The funds will be used for creating more signs and maps in foreign languages, improving paved areas and pathways, installing old-fashioned lighting and removing unsightly modern advertising.
“Anything that makes it easier for foreign tourists to find out about us and then visit us is good news for our company,” said Tatsu Shiraishi, manager of the Chura-Boshi Co., which runs cultural cycling and walking tours in rural Gifu Prefecture.
“The government says it wants to get foreign visitors out of the big cities and into more rural parts of Japan and this is clearly part of that strategy, and we welcome anything that helps us do just that,” he adds.
Shiraishi said promoting the company’s services on the international stage is the single biggest challenge at present and suggested that some of the funds be channelled into raising the profile overseas of small operators with unique services and products.
“We could use some assistance on the marketing and promotion side of our operations,” agreed Sanjiv Raj Asanal, spokesperson for Anabuki Travel Inc. located in the city of Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture.
“Also, there are not so many people in Shikoku who speak anything other than Japanese, so I believe it would be very useful if people working in the travel and tourism sector could get some assistance with learning other languages so they are able to interact more easily with foreign visitors,” he commented.
