Let's Create a New Tourism Movement with Takamatsu Airport as the Gateway!

INDEX

• What changes have there been before and after the coronavirus pandemic?
• The key to creating a new tourism movement is "connecting with people"
• Seeing things from every perspective and revitalizing the local community

What changes have there been before and after the coronavirus pandemic?

--The tourism industry has been hit hard by the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), but how has it changed before and after that?

KUSUNOKI: I run a bus, taxi and travel business in Kagawa Prefecture, but my business performance dropped significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, I took that opportunity to start a new online bus tour. I also discovered the joy of touring guesthouses around the country, becoming friends with the owners and guests, and returning to see them again, which led me to start the accommodation business. In January 2023, I opened Kotori Coworking & Hostel Takamatsu, the venue for this conversation, and am now preparing to open in Kotohira.

MAETA: Aiming to revitalize the region through tourism, I have been in charge of inbound content development projects for the Chugoku Regional Transport Bureau and Setouchi DMO since 2017, creating over 100 travel products for Europe, the US, and Australia. Many businesses were forced to halt their inbound business due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but those who quickly switched gears and expanded their sales channels to domestic tourism, or who made preparations such as strengthening their response and polishing their products in the belief that inbound tourism would return someday, are now steadily increasing their sales.
Therefore, I believe that the recovery of the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic will depend on inbound tourism. I feel that we are now in a transitional period where tourism will undergo drastic changes.

--The impact of inbound tourism seems to be great. The Setouchi Islands were the only Japanese destination to be selected as the 7th best destination in 2019 by the New York Times, and were also ranked 6th in the regional category of Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2022. I think Setouchi is becoming a global brand. What do you think will happen to tourism in Japan in the future?

MAETA: Japan remains popular even after the COVID-19 pandemic. It is said that inbound tourism will fully return by 2024.
By around 2030, we expect to see even more people from the Middle East and India visiting Japan. Additionally, authentic items are becoming more popular among Western travelers, such as trips that allow them to experience "the passion of the artisans who make things." Even in rural areas outside of tourist destinations, it's important to work with local governments to create value that makes people want to visit those places.

KUSUNOKI: I also feel that there is demand from overseas for local Japanese products, but I think it is necessary to highlight the unique charms of each region, such as the unique food culture of Sanuki udon, in a way that will really appeal to those who are interested, rather than just being general.

TANAKA: Takamatsu Airport, where we are involved in the operation, was used by many business people before the COVID-19 pandemic. We feel that the COVID-19 pandemic will provide an opportunity for people to experience the charms of the area during business trips, and we have a strong feeling that they will visit with their families for sightseeing purposes next time.

The key to creating a new tourism movement is "connecting with people"

--What can be done to generate new tourism demand?

KUSUNOKI: After the COVID-19 pandemic, I think people will start thinking more than ever about the meaning and significance of traveling. For example, I think there will be a higher demand for trips that don't just visit tourist spots, but also allow people to visit areas that feel like a second home, where they can meet people they would like to see again. To have such experiences, I think there will be an increase in stay-based tourism and workcations lasting at least two nights or a week or more. I also think that workshops and experiential content offered by non-tourist industry businesses are an effective way to connect with local people.

MAETA: I am also involved in pottering tours using the British-made folding bicycle "BROMPTON." While tough bicycle trips remain popular, more and more people want to interact with the people they visit and experience "their way of life" through food, customs, and more. I also feel that the next mainstream of tourism will be "interacting with people." On a recent tour in Tokushima, we all visited the home of the guide's first love, which was a lot of fun. In that sense, I think tour guides are being asked to take on the role of storytellers, proactively talking to local people.

-- The house of your first love... that sounds exciting (laughs). I feel like there will be an increased demand for cycling tours that allow you to interact with local people in the future.

TANAKA: Together with MAETA and KUSUNOKI, we came up with a plan to create a new travel product called "Glamorous Cycling," a higher-grade product that we had proposed as an internal project before the COVID-19 pandemic. We then ran a series of Fam Tours (*1) and were able to have it actually sold as a product. We initially envisioned it as a product for inbound tourists, but the COVID-19 pandemic hit midway through, and we were forced to change the target to domestic. The current product content does not seem to have enough interaction with local people, but if we can brush it up and focus on interacting with people, we believe it will become a product that sells well.

Seeing things from every perspective and revitalizing the local community

--What do you think is an attractive future for Takamatsu and the Setouchi region?

KUSUNOKI: In Kotohira Town, which has about 3,500 households, locals and people from outside mix well together, which I think is increasing the charm of the area. The town was once seen as exclusive, but the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in businesses run by immigrants and young people, and the common goal of "overcoming COVID-19" has emerged among both new and old residents. This has led to cooperation within the community, and the area has become more flexible in adopting new perspectives.
I believe that it is only because it is a neighborhood that people themselves find enjoyable to live in that it is possible to create fans of the town and repeat visitors.

--So the original residents have started to accept the new things.

KUSUNOKI: For example, on the 10th of each month, which is Konpira Shrine's festival day, there is an event called "Konpira Juyo," in which the stores in town offer creative, limited-time menus and services for that day, creating a lively atmosphere. Many new projects have been born out of private initiative.

--It looks like a system suited to the area will be created and things will run smoothly. However, there must be some challenges to make the area more attractive. What are they?

MAETA: The Setouchi area has a lot of natural goodness, so I think we need players who can package and convey that well, and handle it. Rather than just having online meetings when creating tours, we want people who can interact with local people and dig up the charm of the area to create them, and get a feel for the local charms.

TANAKA: Just recently, I was contacted by a person from overseas who asked, "How can I get from Takamatsu Airport to Naoshima smoothly?" I directly contacted the person who helped me when I was seconded to Takamatsu Airport, and they arranged a taxi for me, and I received a polite thank you from the person from overseas. In cases like this, one of the challenges in accepting people is the lack of local people to make arrangements, so I felt that cooperation with local people and steady efforts were necessary.

--I see, the issue is a lack of human resources. And it is also essential to solve infrastructure issues from the perspective of tourists. What do you expect from PACIFIC CONSULTANTS, which is involved in that infrastructure, in the future?

MAETA: To increase the number of tourists, it is important to improve three pillars: attractive accommodation, easy access to local areas, and attractive content and guides. I would like PACIFIC CONSULTANTS to further improve the convenience of airports, JR, buses, and ships, while also strengthening horizontal connections with local companies and coming up with diverse mobility solutions.

KUSUNOKI: For example, let's say there is an issue of "making the river cleaner" to accommodate tourists. However, the local community does not know how to solve the problem other than the old-fashioned human wave tactic. In such cases, we hope that the community will give advice on solutions from a new perspective.

TANAKA: One of our strengths is that we have many engineers from various fields of social infrastructure on staff. We can also work with the government to make proposals to make the city more attractive. We see Takamatsu Airport, PACIFIC CONSULTANTS is involved in, as a gateway to the region. It is important to have attractive towns, people, and resources in the surrounding area. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, we believe that this is a time to restart efforts to revitalize the Takamatsu and Setouchi regions. We look forward to working with you as a partner with whom we can "co-create"!

--Thank you very much. I'm looking forward to seeing how Takamatsu and the Setouchi region will change in the future to become an even more attractive tourist destination!