Ep 150: Japan Reopens for Tourism, with Kyoji Kuramochi, JNTO

“From 6.2 million visitors in 2011, Japan welcomed 32 million arrivals in 2019.” The reopening of Japan has been eagerly anticipated across Asia Pacific. Japan is both a highly desirable “four seasons” destination and a vital market for travel and tourism region-wide.

This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the outlook as Japan accelerates its reopening with Kyoji Kuramochi, Executive Director, Global Strategy Headquarters of the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).

In a fascinating interview, Kuramochi-san discusses the dramatic growth of tourism from 2010-2019, the JNTO’s new global marketing strategy, its priority visitor markets and a vision for developing tourism by 2030.

He addresses an array of key themes, including air connectivity, airport expansion and visa policies. Segments explored include domestic travel, culinary tourism and Muslim-friendly tourism.

Plus, we analyse sustainable development goals, and the development of rural tourism throughout Japan. Kuramochi-san also delivers data-driven insights about key Asian inbound markets, including China and South East Asia, and looks ahead to the 2023 Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido.

Resources

JNTO’s Explore Deeper guide