Following the success of the London 2012 Olympics, Japan and the Britain’s national tourist boards have agreed to work together to make the Tokyo 2020 Olympics a spectacular event. The first project was a Japan-UK tourism symposium, “Growth Strategy for Tourism, Making the Best Use of the Olympic and Paralympic Games” held in London on 2nd October at the Embassy of Japan.
The partnership between Japan and Britain was formalised on 26th September, when Mr Ryoichi Matsuyama, President of Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and Christopher Rodrigues, Chairman of VisitBritain signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Tokyo, committing both countries to the mutual exchange of experience and information in the field of tourism.
In 2013, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan reached 10 million for the first time in history. In the same year, Tokyo won the bid to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 2014 marks the start of Japan’s campaign to reach the even higher goal of attracting 20 million foreign tourists. Hosting the Games will present Japan with a golden opportunity to achieve this.
JNTO’s strategy for the UK market includes attracting visitors to areas beyond the tourism hot spots of Tokyo and Kyoto; Increase flight capacity to Japan with non-direct flights; increased promotion of Japan for adventure holidays including skiing, snowboarding and cycling; and encouraging repeat visitors.
In the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Japan is expecting a boom in hotel construction and various transport infrastructure developments are already on track to be completed before 2020. In the next 12 months hotel openings are to include Kasara Niseko (opening December 2014), Ki Niseko (opening Dec 2014) and Hoshinoya Fuji (opening 2015). Transport developments include the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension to Kanazawa opening in March 2015; the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension from Aomori through the Seikan Tunnel to Hakodate opening by spring 2016; and luxury cruise trains from JR West and JR East scheduled to launch in 2017.
In conjunction with the Japan Tourism Symposium, JNTO and the Embassy of Japan held a Japan Photo Contest. Over 900 entries were received and the winners were announced at the symposium. To see the 20 winning entries click here.
JNTO will be exhibiting at World Travel Market in London from 3-6 November. For more on this and other Japan tourism developments, make an appointment with JNTO at WTM email Yumi Takakubo on takakubo@jnto.co.uk or email Kylie Clark at kylie@jnto.co.uk to sign up to the JNTO Japan tourism news mailing list.
Consultez la source sur Veille info tourisme: Le Japon et le Royaume-Uni main dans la main pour les Olympiques de 2020 -Japan works with VisitBritain to Double Visitors by Tokyo 2020 Olympics Year