Tourism Agency still not serious about tourism

4 Responses to “Tourism Agency still not serious about tourism”

1. Hans on July 12th, 2010 8:08 pm

   I saw this on Japan Today, but I can’t believe that no one else is pointing out how ridiculous this is. Tourism to Japan depends on two things: Relations with China and the exchange rate. Hiring a bunch of corporate blowhards is a waste of taxpayer money, as you point out, but I’m surprised you didn’t mention the exchange rate. Was that on purpose?

2. Ken Worsley on July 13th, 2010 12:17 am

   Hans,

   I suppose I was too frustrated by the stupidity of the panel to bring up exchange rates. While Japan has done well to allow tourist visas to Chinese who earn less money, I doubt those people have as much disposable income to spend here.

   At any rate, my focus was on the nearsightedness of the Tourism Agency as it brought on business elites who ride around in chauffeured driven cars to determine what tourists to Japan (who tend to not be CEOs) might want to do when they are in the country.

   Exchange rates do matter. But I don’t think the Tourism Agency has any power over them, and so they should try to come up with real ideas. Unfortunately, they have neither the intellectual ammunition nor the business acumen to do so.

3. chamade on July 23rd, 2010 10:56 pm

   I think for many people from the west, the first sight of Tokyo and its gray boxes of assorted sizes, its ugly, intimidatingly huge stretches of colorless apartments, endless signs and billboards, factories and office buildings present an indelible, unforgettable disappointment. There are no landscapes here easily found that westerners find inviting about Japan - i.e. misty mountains with temples dotting the cliffs - and even arriving in Kyoto is a let-down, since with the exception of its crowded cultural attractions, stunning though they may be individually, the city of Kyoto looks just like the city of Sendai, which looks like the city of Oita, and so on.

   Japan is a country of mini-scenes - many of exceptional beauty and seeped in history - but they’re little twiddly-bits amidst an overpoweringly functional, visionless landscape. When you find pockets of natural beauty, there are almost invariably huge electrical towers running across them.

   It’s too late to try to make this country appealing to westeners in any areas other than hi tech gadgetry, anime and youth fashions - but for the Chinese, Koreans, Singaporeans, Thais and other Asians, it’s a fascinating sprawl of stimulation, and these countries will no doubt make up the largest tourist sources for many decades in the future.

4. Chicagoan on August 2nd, 2010 6:24 am

   The efforts toward increasing tourism in Japan that used to be put into events here are now perfunctory at best. The local JNTO office is long gone as is the Osaka Garden Festival. What remains is mainly driven by groups such as the Japan America Society. It’s a pity - there are many Japanese companies with offices here, Osaka is our sister city, and the increasing popularity of anime encourage many to study Japanese. I suppose the most positive outcome was losing the “Yokoso Japan” slogan, but that’s not saying much.

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