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

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About This Episode

16 Sep 2022 • 36m02s

“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

« Next Episode Ep 151: Good News for South East Asia as Japan, Taiwan & Hong Kong Reboot Travel Previous Episode » Ep 149: When Will Chinese Travellers Return - And What’s Changed?

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