Revitalizing regional economies through regional visitor-attraction and exchange businesses

「In the regional co-creation business, Club Tourism and Kinki Nippon Tourist will work as one, based on comprehensive partnership agreements with local governments, to establish a group-specific “DMC (Destination Management Company) business model” tailored to the characteristics of each region and provide comprehensive tourism services. In April this year, we will also assign regional representatives in each area to serve as the group’s local contact points, build relationships with local business communities and governments, and develop new customers, thereby strengthening the brand and developing new customers in each region.」

「As part of its regional co-creation initiatives, Club Tourism launched the second phase of regenerative tourism in Ikusaka Village, Nagano Prefecture, in which local residents and travelers work together to restore the natural environment, promoting sustainable tourism and community development.」

「In the regional co-creation business, Club Tourism Co., Ltd. and Kinki Nippon Tourist Co., Ltd. are working as one in the Chubu-Sangaku National Park area. Club Tourism brings expertise in highly themed travel products, while Kinki Nippon Tourist offers a broad range of tourism solutions, including tourist facility operations and transportation measures. Centered on Kamikochi, they aim to provide comprehensive tourism services as a locally rooted DMC (Destination Management Company).」

「Given the current business environment surrounding our group, we considered it essential to further strengthen our focus on regional co-creation and our response to inbound travelers. Accordingly, effective 1 April this year, we established the Regional Co-creation Promotion Office and the Inbound Business Promotion Office as new organizational units.」

「As part of regional co-creation projects arising from travel and tourism, we also began initiatives such as “Adventure Travel,” tours incorporating cycling and hiking that allow participants to fully experience local nature, food and history, and “Pet-Friendly Travel Service RISPETTO” (supporting town development that makes communities easier for both pets and people to visit through travel with pets).」

「In Kinki Nippon Tourist Co., Ltd. and Club Tourism Co., Ltd., we focused on regional co-creation projects in partnership with local governments as part of our contribution to the SDGs. Through the development of destination-based tourism content, tours using that content and tourism events, we worked to support growth in the number of visitors and residents engaging with local communities.」

「In response to the government’s regional revitalization policies, we will work with Kinki Nippon Tourist Co., Ltd. on initiatives such as the “Local Appeal Promotion Project,” which explores local tourism resources in greater depth.」

「In the regional exchange business, we were commissioned to manage and operate Hikone Castle, a national treasure, by Kinki Nippon Tourist Kansai Co., Ltd., and the “麒麟がくる Taiga Drama Museum” by Kinki Nippon Tourist Chubu Co., Ltd. and Kinki Nippon Tourist Kansai Co., Ltd., among many other projects contributing to local communities through tourism.」

「Against this backdrop, under the medium-term management plan formulated the previous year and centred on “rebuilding the individual travel business and expanding and strengthening the group travel business,” the group pursued the integration of 近畿日本ツーリスト and クラブツーリズム, focusing on strengthening its product offering by enhancing web sales and shifting toward the development of destination-based products.」

「Until now, we have mainly developed travel products at bases in departure areas such as Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. Going forward, we will focus on bases in destinations such as Hokkaido, Okinawa and Kyushu. This will enable us to strengthen cooperation with local governments, tourism associations, DMO (Destination Management Organization) bodies, accommodation facilities and tourist facilities, develop travel products using real-time information available only locally and incorporating lesser-known tourism resources, and shift to the development of destination-based travel products that are sold as packages combining transportation from departure points such as Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka with hotels, ryokan and other accommodation facilities.」

「For overseas travel, in the individual travel business we held Holiday original summer festival tours in Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines, while Club Tourism expanded sales of high-value-added products such as the “Orient Express Journey,” known as the “Lady in Motion,” and a round-the-world trip visiting 7 countries in the Northern Hemisphere. In group travel, as part of developing the MICE market and expanding the regional exchange business, we conducted sales activities to recruit companies and organizations to exhibit at the sixth “Japan Vietnam Festival,” Vietnam’s largest Japan-Vietnam jointly held event, in cooperation with Japanese and Vietnamese government agencies.」

「We will also leverage the branch network of our group companies across Japan to focus on developing destination-based travel products that highlight lesser-known local attractions and can only be created locally, demonstrating the strengths unique to a full-service travel company with stores throughout Japan. These destination-based products will be centrally managed by the group and combined with transportation from across Japan and accommodation facilities to be rolled out as original travel products available nationwide. They will also be incorporated into group travel, including school trips, and inbound travel in order to differentiate ourselves from competitors.」

「We also sought to expand sales of regional exchange projects by leveraging our expertise as a full-service travel company and our track record in operating tourist facilities, including being commissioned to manage and operate Himeji Castle, a national treasure and World Cultural Heritage site.」

「In the regional visitor-attraction and exchange business, we were commissioned to support the operation of the “Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun Tour” at the Sakai City Museum, which uses virtual reality (VR) technology, and applied the guidance expertise unique to a travel company.」

「Our regional travel agencies in Hokkaido, Tohoku, Chugoku and Shikoku, and Kyushu actively pursued regional visitor attraction. By promoting detailed, locally focused sales activities, they worked to respond closely to customer needs and develop demand.」

「In the regional visitor-attraction and exchange business, we actively participated in local revitalization initiatives, including concluding a “Hirosaki Regional Revitalization Partner Company Agreement” with Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture.」

「In December, we opened “DMC Japan Kyoto” to showcase Kyoto’s appeal to the world and worked to capture MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Congress, Event and Exhibition) demand from global companies and attract international conferences.」

「Through a consortium with companies from other industries, we are promoting the "Michi-no-Eki Genki Project," which revitalizes roadside stations, expected to become a key component of regional tourism. We also launched the reservation site "Run for 湯," which features travel plans combining running at the destination with hot springs and meals.」

「The "Shinshu Ueda Sanada-maru Taiga Drama Museum," whose operation and management we undertake, has been well received, with cumulative attendance exceeding 400,000 visitors.」

「Leveraging our nationwide branch network, our group will support regional revitalization through sports, including undertaking the operation of local sporting events, and contribute to local communities by attracting international visitors. By organically linking our three growth-focused businesses—inbound travel, sports and regional visitor-attraction and exchange—we will pursue business expansion.」