The Japan Tourism Awards 2019 Profiles of Jury Members

The Japan Tourism Awards 2019

Tourism is considered a growth strategy for Japan, and expectations are high for increased volumes of tourism both within Japan and the world. The tourism industry in general encompasses a broad swath of sub-sectors including tourism promotion in Japan, between Japan and the world, and inbound tourism to Japan—which means it plays a significant role in the growth of the Japanese economy. The goal of these Awards, by way of a synergistic effect with Tourism EXPO Japan, is to contribute to the development and expansion of the tourism industry by recognizing superior sustainable initiatives by Japanese and overseas groups, organizations, and corporations. The Japan Tourism Awards also works to publicize these initiatives to render Japan a leading nation in the tourism industry, both in Japan and the world. Because tourism is a broad-based industry, the perspective of not only tourism-related personnel but also personnel from a variety of sectors is required to ensure optimal screening. To garner the input of this broad range of personnel, the screening process included the following leading Japanese organizations and corporations. Dynamic discussions were held based on the screening criteria—each initiative’s innovation and development, sustainability, and social relevance. These awards represent a tremendous opportunity for conveying Japanese tourism to the world. Instead of relying on Japanese tourism organizations and companies alone to facilitate Japanese tourism promotion, we are aware that Japanese tourism can be bolstered by 1) bringing more dynamism to the nation’s local regions—where the unique flavor of Japan can be found—along with 2) expanding on two-way tourism with other countries. Award recipients were determined based on a common-ground awareness of the relevance of these factors in future tourism development.

Profiles of Jury Members

【Message from Director of Jury】 Prof. Yoshiaki Hompo (Chief, Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO) This year, for the 5th Japan Tourism Awards, we received some 209 applications describing projects designed to create a brighter future from both within Japan and overseas, reflecting an upswing in the level of global tourism. The recipient of the newly established “MLIT Award” was Hyakusenrenma, whose entry Regional Invigoration Service to Unite “Farm Stays” With “the World” truly connects a local tourism resource with the world. It received high praise for both its innovation and its future development potential. Among the entries that were submitted, those that had a high degree of social value continued to stand out with motifs such as “universal tourism” and “ecotourism,” while this year saw an increase

in initiatives that really built on local appeal with themes like “infratourism” and “night entertainment,” granting us a peek into the future of how tourism may be expanded both quantitatively and qualitatively going forward. Lastly, I would like to point out that the efforts of the Palau Tourism Board to increase tourist satisfaction through environmental protection truly indicated the role tourism has to play in realizing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) laid out by the United Nations, in addition to deepening understanding. These factors led to that entry receiving the Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner’s Award, and we sincerely hope that, in the future, similar initiatives will be introduced both within Japan and around the world.

【Jury Members】(Total of 14) Mr. Adam Fulford (CEO, Fulford Enterprises, Ltd. ) Mr. Yoshiro Ishihara (Director Editor-in-Chief, WING Aviation Press Co., LTD. ) Mr. Yoshiyuki Oshita (Director,Indpendent Admistrative Institution National Museum Of Art) Mr. Susumu Kato (Deputy Director General, Japan Tourism Agency, Minister of Land, Infra-structure, Transport and Tourism) Mr. Shigeto Kubo (President, Japan Travel and Tourism Association) Mr. Satoshi Seino (President, Japan National Tourism Organization) Mr. Waichi Sekiguchi (President, MM Research Institute, Ltd.) Mr. Hiromi Tagawa (Chairman, Japan Association of Travel Agents) Mr. Naoyoshi Noguchi (Executive Vice President, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO)) Ms. Miyako Hamano (Special Adviser Cool Japan Strategy, Secretariat of Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters Cabinet Office) Ms. Masami Morishita (Professor, Department of International Tourism Management Faculty of International Tourism Management, Toyo University) Mr. Kensuke Yabata (General Manager, Regional Planning Department, Development Bank of Japan Inc.) Mr. Masayuki Wakui (Professor, Landscape Architect (J.R.L.A.), Faculty of Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University)

Minister of Land, Infra-structure, Transport and

Tourism’s Award

Organization name： Hyakusenrenma Inc. Initiative：Regional Invigoration Service to Unite “Farm Stays” with “the World” Initiative Overview We established, as part of our efforts to build a business of “farm stays,” Japan’s first farm stay (nohaku) / private lodging (minpaku) reservation website “Stay Japan” (originally called “Tomarina”) in 2013, and then in 2018 began providing “Shukyaku Concierge,” a service aimed at helping farm stay lodging providers to attract customers. Currently, more than half of users of Shukyaku Concierge are foreigners, with half of those being visitors from western countries. One of our success stories is farm lodgings with recent monthly sales of as much as ¥500,000. Another is our use of a new business model of homeowners renting out their second homes to lodgers, thus reducing the burden of the monthly maintenance fees in addition to ensuring a stable profit. We believe it is important for sustainable regional activity to have reliable and firm business activities going on. Selection Comment This is a proposal for a new style of private lodging business aimed at international tourists. The careful and detailed assistance provided to address the concerns and issues faced by farmers and others who might be afraid to invite foreigners to come and stay in their homes is recognized as being both highly innovative and having a high degree of development potential. The utilization of empty residences and expansion of employment show a clear path to solving the problems faced by these regions, and will greatly attract foreign tourism revenue to these areas. Award Winner Message We are very grateful to have been awarded the MLIT Award. Our company has, since its founding, worked under the corporate mission statement “Create a motivation for movement that is so clear it is too clear.” We have set our sights on creating the world standard of farm stay programs, and endeavored to achieve regional invigoration through these farm stays. Currently, we are creating and managing lodging facilities that are unique and bursting with originality, attracting guests through such means as our “Stay Japan” website. Going forward, we are hoping to spread our unique farm stay facilities that build on the individual charm of each region into more new places. We intend put all our energy into revitalizing exchange between local regions and travelers from around the world.

Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner’s Awards

Organization name：Saga Ureshino Barrier Free Tour Center (*This initiative has been also awarded the Special Awards for DMO Promotion.) Initiative：Toward Phase 5 in Making the Ureshino Hot Springs Barrier-Free: Coordinating With Private Ambulance Services Initiative Overview Thanks to a coordination with Rakan Ambulance (Itoshima, Fukuoka), now even those who are severely ill or bedridden can be accompanied by “medical supporters” such as physicians and nurses, being transported by “a vehicle that can provide medical functions second only to an ambulance.” This allows those who find it difficult to travel by public transport or the family car to come and enjoy the hot springs. Phase 1: The Necessary Barrier Information Is Available Phase 2: The Necessary Care Equipment Can Be Rented at the Site Phase 3: Most Ureshino Hot Spring Hotels and Inns Have Barrier-Free Rooms and Choices Are Available Phase 4: Bathing Care Services Are Introduced, Allowing All Who Arrive to Enjoy a Hot Spring Bath Phase 5: Coordination With Private Emergency Healthcare Services Enables a Move Toward Ureshino Hot Springs Using a Safe System Selection Comment The evaluation was that by pushing ahead with this plan and coordinating with medical institutions, medical supporters can accompany visitors, thus allowing those who have trouble getting into the baths alone, such as elderly and disabled persons, to enjoy the hot springs in the same manner as everyone else in safety and security. Furthermore, it was judged as having an extremely high degree of social value. It sends the warm and friendly message that “If you come to Ureshino, no matter who you are, you can enjoy the hot springs.”

Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner’s Awards

Organization name：Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau (*This initiative has been also awarded The Japan Tourism Awards for Responsible Tourism in collaboration with UNWTO.) Initiative：An Attempt at a Modern Sightseeing Model in the Hallowed Grounds of Kumano Initiative Overview Tanabe is a small city in the ancient Kumano region of the Kii peninsula. Pilgrims have walked the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes for over 1000 years in search of healing, regeneration, and salvation.

The Kumano region represents a unique cultural landscape, registered in 2004 as a UNESCO World Heritage property "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range".In 2005, four municipalities merged with Tanabe City. The original tourist associations were too different to combine, so an organization to oversee the entire city was founded in 2006, the TCKTB. Developing Quality tourism development is at the core of our project; implementing a strong and consistent foundation of infrastructure to host international visitors.Initiatives include workshops for locals, improving signage and public transportation, and designing bilingual exhibits.PromotingWe specifically targeted our marketing to gain the maximum impact. Our promotion is a holistic approach, including the entire visitor travel cycle; before, during and after.We pioneered a joint promotion project with the Turismo de Santiago de Compostela successfully joining the Way of St. James and the Kumano Kodo, the only two pilgrimage routes registered as World Heritage.ConnectingTo facilitate travel to our isolated region we created the KUMANO TRAVEL Community Reservation System, a bilingual website for local businesses to connect effectively with the growing online market. Selection Comment The pilgrimage route of Kumano Kodo has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. This sustainable initiative with social value is based on coordination and understanding with local residents and corporations, and it has shown the fruits of its labor in bringing in a great many visitors while also preserving and continuing ancient traditions passed down over 1,000 years. From early on, they established a system for welcoming foreign visitors, contributing to a U-turn and migration of young people, and playing a major role in regional invigoration.

Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner’s Awards

Organization name：Palau Tourism Board Initiative：Creating the Palau Pledge: The World’s First Environmental Protection Pledge Initiative Overview For the first time anywhere in the world, visitors must have their passports stamped, on the way into the country, with an environmental protection pledge, obliging them to engage in “responsible and sustainable tourism.” We also require them to sign a next-generation environmental and cultural protection pledge. This obliges all visitors to Palau to sign, before entering the country, a pledge that says they will protect the environment of Palau for the children of Palau. This initiative makes Palau the first country in the world to change its visitor entry laws and procedures for the benefit of future generations, with the goal of protecting Palau's precious unique culture and beautiful natural environment. This ideal is incorporated into children’s education under Palau’s Ministry of Education, to inculcate understanding of the important role played by Palau’s children in protecting the archipelago’s future.

Selection Comment This initiative is groundbreaking in its encouragement of foreign travelers to make a pledge to preserve nature, intended by the Palau government to protect the natural environment of these islands that are registered as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. The initiative was evaluated as having a high degree of development potential and social value in its connection to sustainable development and its implementation of environmental protection.

Awards for Excellent Partner

Organization name：Philippines Department of Tourism Initiative：Toward a Sustainable Development of Tourism and Revival of the Island of Boracay Initiative Overview Awarded as one of the world’s best islands, Boracay is visited by tourists from around the globe reaching the all-time high of more than 2 million visitors in 2017. As the environmental impact brought about human activities took its toll in the 10-km island, the government decided to close Boracay in 2018 for an environmental rehabilitation. During the 6-month closure, sustainability of tourism facilities has been assessed, the carrying capacity of the island has been determined and regulations protecting the environment has been put in place. The Department of Tourism (DOT) also facilitated training of thousands of tourism frontline workers. Together with other government agencies and the tourism stakeholders, the DOT will thrive to ensure balance between business opportunities and social responsibility towards a more sustainable tourism development- an endeavor that started in Boracay Island and is now continuing to other major tourist destinations in the country Selection Comment The revitalization of the natural scenery of Boracay through a half-year suspension of tourist intake has created a brilliant example of tourism working within the sustainable development of society. It received high praise as an initiative with an extremely high level of social value and innovation, as an excellent example of a solution for overtourism issues.

Japan Tourism Awards elected by students

Organization name：H.I.S. Co., Ltd. Initiative：Let’s Expand the Potential of Children’s Future! Extracurricular Classes for Cambodian Primary School Students! Travel That Encourages Mutual Education With Local Children

Initiative Overview We worked with the non-profit organization HERO to establish a primary school in the spring of 2017. Since then, we’ve been arranging tours in the student tourism seasons of spring and summer, continuously visiting the school. Most Cambodian schools don’t have the opportunity for PE, music, science experiments or the like, so by working together with the tour participants we organize extracurricular classes for the kids. By inculcating teamwork with a sports festival or granting new and strange experiences to the kids with science experiments, we can provide the kids with a new inquisitiveness and enthusiasm for learning. In 2018 and then again in March of 2019, we brought Japanese fireworks experts in to organize a fireworks festival as well. The multicolored fireworks lit up the night sky. For young children who had never experienced something like this before, they cried out with excitement and joy, smiles wide on their faces. That moment was truly an indication of the expansion of the children’s potential. Selection Comment Not just building a school and supporting education in Cambodia, this project allows Japanese tourists to travel to Cambodia and interact with the children who will inherit this world, by providing a portion of the travel expenses and the like. This kind of activity was recognized as having tremendous social value in contributing to an international society.

Category Awards Field of Domestic and Inbound Travel

Business Category Companies and Organizations Selection Comment Initiative Alpine Tour Service Co., Ltd. High school students are the ones who will help their home region of Tohoku’s reconstruction following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. In order Tohoku High School Students Climb to give courage to these students, and instill self-discipline, a Mt. Fuji climbing trip is Mt. Fuji organized every year, based on an idea by the late mountaineer Junko Tabei. In order to ensure it is safe and meaningful, the implementation of this Mt. Fuji climbing program was assessed continuously. Tetto Me Care Attendance Co., Ltd. This project promotes universal tourism to be the “hands and eyes” for disabled persons visiting Ishigaki and the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa, in accordance with the Okinawa A Special Day on the Southern Barrier-Free Tourism Declaration. The in-house care workers plan it and accompany Islands to Allow the Dreams of the those in their care. This was evaluated as an initiative with a high degree of social value Differently Abled to Come True and potential for expansion in demand in the future by expanding it to include the elderly. Robot Restaurant Co., Ltd. By combining cutting-edge technology with Japanese taiko drums, a show is put on combining near-future speculation with hands-on activity in an innovative manner. Regional Invigoration by Right now, it is the most popular night entertainment for foreign tourists visiting Japan. Strengthening International Tourism By strengthening the regional image and brand, the concept of Shinjuku as an Appeal international tourism city has been upheld both in name and in reality. H.I.S. Co., Ltd. Receiving the support of a great many specialists, these rehabilitation tours have been organized continuously since 1997, helping disabled persons, who had given up on being Rehabilitation Travel to Okinawa! 4 able to travel, to enjoy it once again. This project was evaluated as having sustainability. Days! It has achieved not only the opening up of new tourism avenues for Okinawa but also a contribution to society.

JTB Communication Design, Inc. This program, which has transformed that uniquely Japanese traditional art of the taiko into a dramatic performance, has both entertained foreign visitors with an Mangekyo: Revolutionary New exciting nighttime entertainment and promoted deeper understanding of Japanese Drumming Entertainment in Tokyo culture. The project was evaluated as having a high level of innovation and a well- choreographed performance with tremendous polish. ANA Sales Co., Ltd. The results of previous exchange programs on projects for Japanese traveling overseas have been applied to foreign visitors. By having visitors from Taiwan interact with Fureai Walk: A 2-Way Tourism vulnerable individuals in the region affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake Promotion Project and Tsunami, mutual understanding is fostered. Furthermore, by also organizing tours from Japan to Taiwan, mutual back-and-forth is achieved, which is recognized as having great sustainability.

Kansai One Pass Consortium This project not only makes life more convenient for foreign visitors to the sightseeing hotspot that is the Kansai region, but at the same time contributes to the marketing of Sale of a Unified Kansai Travel Pass, the participating companies based on the usage data collected. By also providing the Kansai One Pass, for Overseas discounts and special offers at tourism facilities, it is helping to promote excursions. Visitors to Japan This initiative has great development potential heading into the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo. Tobu Railway Co., Ltd. Visitors from the Muslim world often have special religious rules that they follow, such rules of halal food preparation and the direction in which to pray. Accommodating Various Efforts to Attract and Accept tourists who wish to follow these rules while in Japan is a major concern. The promotion Muslim Visitors efforts in which Nikko, Kawagoe, and other areas coordinated with Tobu to provide information to visitors were evaluated. The role of railway companies in spreading international tourism to peripheral and rural regions is recognized as very important and as having development potential. Samurai Produce, Inc. Cruising the Obihiro River with its abundance of natural scenery at night is a novel, unique, innovative, and creative approach. The use of regional resources at nighttime Tokachi Night River Cruising to attract new tourists was regarded highly. By coordinating with local institutions, it is hoped that even more development can be expected in the future. Roots Sports Japan There is a high degree of harmony between biking and sightseeing, and by increasing consumption at the destination locations, a great help is provided to regional Tour de Nippon: An All-Japan invigoration. It was recognized as having a high degree of development potential in that Cycling Tourism Project cycling events around Japan have tremendous appeal to visitors, especially foreigners, and so expansion of the project can be expected in the future. Japan Airlines Japan’s aging population means that it is a foregone conclusion that, going forward, the population of active seniors will account for an increasing share of tourism demand. Healthcare Charter Tours This charter tour initiative, which targets this market specifically by incorporating programs in which preventative care specialists are invited to help out, was evaluated as being highly innovative and having a high degree of social value. Anime Tourism Association Animation is one of the cornerstones representing modern Japanese culture around the world. It is a big motivator for Japan-bound international tourism, with many foreign Selecting 88 “Anime Pilgrimage tourists visiting famous sites associated with anime. By coordinating with local Sites” Around Japan and Promoting governments and private companies, this project promotes the reception of foreign Anime Tourism tourists at various spots around Japan, and its expansion of the number of designated “anime holy sites” was evaluated as an innovative effort contributing to regional invigoration. Tourism Forecast Platform This innovative program runs marketing analysis on big data from accommodations in Promotion Council order to predict trends in tourism, turning this into an asset for increasing the Tourism Forecast Platform Support productivity of tourism companies and revitalizing various regions around Japan. It for Marketing Aimed at Those was evaluated as having a high degree of development potential in its use for preventing Involved in Regional Tourism over-tourism and use as a DMO promotion tool. Jiyujin Co., Ltd. This old manor was converted into a 13-room hotel as a base for conveying the attractiveness of the local region starting with the essentials of food, clothing, and a Satoyama Jujo: A Media Hotel to roof over your head. It provides diligent hospitality and fine cuisine made with locally Create Regional Branding grown ingredients, and the reception among lodgers has also been very positive, with an operating ratio over 90%. It was recognized as having high development potential as a model of regional invigoration.

Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. Here in Nihonbashi, the heart of Edo culture, visitors can enjoy a meal as they experience performances of Japanese traditional performing arts including noh and Promoting the Charm of Traditional kyogen drama, and nihon-buyo dance. This facility is innovative and provides Japanese Performing Arts at Suigian customers, including foreigners, with a chance to deepen their understanding of Japanese culture. West Japan Railway Company Great things are expected in the local communities with the arrival of the luxury train “Mizukaze.” It received high praise for its provision of an elegant experience to Connecting Twilight Express travelers, as well as for increasing spending in the regions through which it travels, Mizukaze With Regions Along the while at the same time having a multiplying effect in that it increased the tourism Train Line awareness of people living in these regions. (Case Study of Unnan, Shimane) Hiroshima Prefecture Council for Hiroshima receives a large number of visitors from foreign countries. Provision of Creation of Nighttime Attractions homegrown products, such as the traditional art form “Hiroshima Kagura,” in order to An Evening of Kagura: Traditional increase their length of stay and per-capita spending, as well as contribute to the Shinto Ritual Dancing Performance continuation of this Japanese heritage of kagura, was highly evaluated for its for Overseas Visitors development potential. It is a very satisfying night entertainment. JTB Corp. With a professional entertainer onboard, this program provides a real taste of Osaka's Kotekote-go: A Comedy Bus to Truly humor and charm, as well as city tours on a private bus, which is innovative. Its having Appreciate Osakan Culture! continued for 10 years and counting, while setting itself apart from the competition, won it praise from the judges. Fujico Co., Ltd. Mishima Skywalk is a new sightseeing spot in the Izu region. Due to this suspension bridge allowing visitors to enjoy Mt. Fuji and Suruga Bay at the same time, it has attracted as many as a million people since its first year. On top of that, it plays a key Mishima Skywalk: The Longest role in regional invigoration, with both events and restaurants that use locally grown Pedestrian Suspension Bridge in ingredients. For these reasons it received high praise from the judges. Japan Regional Category Gero City Ecotourism Promotion DMO activities that use ecotourism as the driving force encourage proactive Council participation by the people of Gero, and by allowing hands-on interaction with the rich E-DMO: Combining Ecotourism and charm of the local region these activities have been able to achieve an improvement in DMO tourism awareness. The “one-coin trip” targeting local citizens attracts more than 20,000 participants annually, and so was evaluated as having sustainability. Yuda Dam Vision Promotion Council This dam is in a region in decline due to depopulation and population aging. By using the dam as a tourism resource to create new and multifaceted attractiveness in the area, this infratourism project is hoped to encourage regional invigoration. “Dam Regional Invigoration Using Yuda Cards ” with discounts for various facilities within the municipality have been Dam (Kinshu Lake) distributed in numbers in excess of 12,000, contributing to an increase in spending. Ninohe, Iwate The Ninohe Terroir Project has been going for 27 years, connecting food culture (agricultural produce) to tourism. In order to support that effort, “Ninohe-brand goods” Based on the treasure prized in the are being strategically produced one after the next. This was recognized as achieving region, they are developing the sustainable regional invigoration. activities of the “Ninohe Terroir Project” to connect to the next generation. The project is part of the “Producing Regions Sightseeing Promotion Town-Building Initiative” to promote the creation of a “Ninohe brand.” Saga Prefecture Film Commission Having invited Thai film location shooting in 2013 and seen a sudden and noticeable surge in name recognition and visitors, they proactively encouraged similar in the Saga Prefecture’s endeavors in the Philippines, and have now succeeded in encouraging them to come over and shoot in Philippines: Encouraging overseas Saga. This effort was recognized as having succeeded in encouraging an increase in film producers to shoot on location in tourism from the Philippines and played a large role in expanding tourist spending Saga to promote awareness of Saga and enhancing mutual understanding. Prefecture and encourage international exchange

Ehime Prefecture This is a digital promotion initiative aimed at further increasing the appeal of the Seto Inland Sea, which is already a popular destination for international tourists. It was A Revolution in Digital Promotion in recognized as having great development potential in the possibility of using the data it Ehime, Centered Around Attracting acquires to find even more attractive selling points going forward. Foreign Tourists

Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway The Akashi Strait Bridge is the longest of its kind in the world. Using this resource, and Co., Ltd. effectively combining the bridge with expressways as public assets, is a great success Using the World's Longest story in infratourism that contributes to regional invigoration. This was recognized as Suspension Bridge as a sightseeing being highly sustainable. Particularly strong selling points are the special experiences resource such as walking tours traversing the bridge (which is normally closed to pedestrian traffic). Shinshu University/ While continuing efforts for barrier-free tours surrounded by nature, industry, ata Alliance government, and academia have joined forces with local communities to collaborate on Striking out into the great outdoors, the creation of “universal tourism,” performing advance studies and research, securing where barrier-free was always the needed manpower, and so on. This initiative hits all three marks of innovation, difficult! Government, business, development potential, and social value. and academia are all working together to allow those in wheelchairs, as well as their friends and families, to enjoy outdoor tourism Fuji-Hakone Guest House At Hakone, a popular destination for international visitors to Japan, for many years now this facility has been providing hospitality to foreign lodgers. By promoting Mobilizing the Whole Local Area to understanding of Japanese culture, they have created many generations of Promote the Welcoming of Visitors to Japanophiles. This initiative was evaluated as having an extremely high degree of Japan With a Real “Spirit of sustainability for its training local elementary school students to become the hospitality Hospitality” workers of the future.

Yamagata Barrier Free Tour Center This project was recognized as having a high degree of social value and innovation for its combination of a barrier-free concept, sky sports, and tourism. The combination of Aiming to be the Global No. 1 for the fact that the organizer himself is disabled with the project being able to achieve the freedom to enjoy the skies: Let’s soar dream of flight for those in wheelchairs or suffering from other disabilities is incredibly on Eagle’s Wings! meaningful and significant. It is hoped that the barrier-free aspect will be expanded to appeal to Japan-bound international visitors in the future. Star Village Achi Visitor Attraction As a trailblazer in “starry sky tourism,” Achi Village has taken on the opinions of Promotion Council visitors and achieved an even higher level of entertainment value. The number of tour Star Village Achi: The No. 1 Place in participants grew exponentially, from 32,000 in 2014 to 138,000 in 2018: a 300% Japan to appreciate the Night Sky increase! It was therefore recognized as having extremely high sustainability and development potential. Okinawa Convention & Visitors Okinawa receives more than 9.5 million tourists annually. Against this backdrop, Bureau (OCVB) guaranteeing the safety of visitors and building an emergency infrastructure with local Tourism-Focused Crisis Management government and the private sector are very important. This project was evaluated based System Operation Drill Training on its continuous implementation of crisis management measures aimed at fulfilling these goals. It is hoped that this will lead to further developments around Japan to provide information, etc., to foreign tourists in the event of a disaster.

Osatsu Ama Culture Council / Kaito Under this remarkable collaboration between DMO and ecotour organizing companies, Yumin Club (Oz Group) a unique and region-specific vacation program was created based on the theme of “ama” Ecotourism and Meeting With Ama (traditional Japanese female fisher-divers), and the number of participants has grown Divers: steadily. Through such initiatives as operating tourism facilities, efforts were made to Creating Sustainable Regions With secure independent financial resources. This was evaluated as a highly sustainable the Power of Women effort with a high degree of development potential. Setouchi Tourism Authority The digital marketing and promotion methods targeting on-the-ground agents overseas are innovative and even led to Setouchi being selected as a popular tourist destination Setouchi Destination Marketing by The New York Times. The initiative was evaluated highly for its development potential as a model for wide-area collaborative DMO activities across the country, such as business promotion and human resource development by launching funds. Metropolitan Outer Area This is an innovative tour project that uses the subterranean discharge channel as a Underground Discharge Channel tourism resource. It provides a unique experience to consumers, and contributes to Utilization Council increased disaster risk reduction awareness in the natural disaster-prone country that Tobu Top Tours Co., Ltd. is Japan, which means it has high social value, and its incorporation of surrounding Public and Private Sectors Cooperate sightseeing makes it the kind of project only a tour company could conceive of. to organize study tours of the Metropolitan Outer Area Underground Discharge Channel Kanto Regional Development Bureau, This effort to use a civil construction project as a tourism resource for regional MLIT invigoration is exceedingly innovative and has a high degree of social value. By showing Yanba Dam Construction Office visitors the process of building the dam, in addition to directing them to other nearby Yanba Tours: “The Best Infratour in sightseeing locations, this contributes significantly to invigoration of the surrounding Japan” region. Further developments can be anticipated once the dam is complete. Matsurism Japan’s festivals are great at drawing in many visitors, while also performing the An effort to revitalize people and important function of carrying on the traditions of the local region. In recent years, the communities through the power of lack of participation has become a cause for concern. In order to solve this problem, this festivals initiative creates an opportunity for local participants to interact with tourists, including foreigners. It therefore has both a high degree of social value and development potential. Lake Biwa Canal Promotion Council Reviving the Lake Biwa canals, which played a major role in the development of the city of Kyoto, as a tourism resource is a regional aspiration, and the number of Efforts to revive the Canal Boats and participants has been steadily increasing. The public-private partnership plays a major create appeal for the canals of Lake role in invigorating the region, such as by revitalizing and preserving cultural assets, Biwa creating jobs, and cultivating human resources. It was therefore recognized as having social value and development potential.

Field of Outbound Travel

Business Category JTB Corp. Amidst scares from the launching of North Korean ballistic missiles to the withdrawal of flights to and from Guam, a charter flight from Kansai Airport was arranged, leading Inviting KIX–GUM regular flights by to the establishment of regular flights by Jeju Air. By achieving a win-win for customers Jeju Air and destinations, this initiative was recognized as having a high degree of development potential for the travel company. Eurasia Travel Co., Ltd. This tour program is themed around Bulgaria’s national flower, the rose. In addition to Bulgaria Rose Festival long-standing visits to the Rose Festival, the project was designed to be a participatory tour that incorporates interaction with local residents and various hands-on activities. Its 10-year résumé showed it to have sustainability that the judges recognized. Sakura Star Travel This initiative has made it possible for people with disabilities to make thorough preparations for places they otherwise probably could not travel to, and enjoy the same Uluru and Sydney: Six days down scenery regardless of their disadvantages. It was thus recognized as having an under with a cane and a wheelchair extremely high level of social value. Designed from a perspective of empathy with wheelchair-bound persons, this initiative really makes dreams come true. Valise Inc. This initiative was evaluated as contributing significantly to demand for outbound travel among Japanese, with a system whereby the information provision is not one- Tabi MUSE: An overseas travel way but involves readers sharing their knowledge with each other, thus expanding online magazine collaboratively readership. As a digital media initiative specializing in overseas travel that conveys developed by 300 Millennial Women travel experiences over the web, written by the women themselves who love to travel, who are real travel connoisseurs it is also highly creative. Regional Category Hong Kong Tourism Board By displaying this mural by the famous Japanese tarento Shingo Katori on the streets of Hong Kong, it can both be enjoyed by Japanese tourists and encourage locals to come #hkshingoart: Creating tourism and visit Japan. This effort towards mutual exchange was recognized as being resources through Street Art extremely innovative.

Special Awards for DMO Promotion

Organization name：Taisetsu Kamui Mintara DMO Initiative：A New Type of Winter Resort: Using the Resources of Nature and the City for “Urban Snow Resort” Efforts Initiative Overview: Emphasizing cooperation with each company in the local sphere, we initiated discussions with involved parties toward the goal of brand formation. With the intent of introducing automatic IC gates at ski resorts and ultimately common lift tickets, and improving convenience for visitors during their travels, we have established a handy and convenient environment by setting up an activity center, distributed information through digital signage, and built a concierge desk environment that supports Japan-bound international tourism. In addition, the headquarters and each ski resort were networked to enhance secondary transport, and, in cooperation with the Australian Consulate, we carried out training programs for human resource development, with the aim of improving the accessibility to foreign tourists. These and other efforts were focused on improving the acceptance environment. We have also promoted the development of the region as a tourism area, by collecting trend data through a multilingual Wi-Fi system, analyzing data collected through questionnaires and the like using the DMO net, and distributing the data to the concerned parties. Selection Comment: While the domestic skiing population has been on the decline, this urban-style snow resort is very popular among foreigners. The resort has, as a destination management organization (DMO), managed to successfully create a regional brand. There is a real sense of further development potential in the air as a model of such things as cooperation with governments, improvement of acceptance environment for foreign tourists, content enhancement, and human resource development. It also has great social value due to its activities in such areas as transmission of Ainu culture.

Special Awards for Digital Utilization

Organization name：UM.Succeed, Inc. Initiative：“Shiro Okoshi Project” Using a GPS-Based Castle Touring App Initiative Overview: Our “Nippon Shiro Meguri” app is a stamp-collecting contest app that uses GPS to allow users to visit 3,000 castles that actually existed around Japan. Based on things like requests from local governments, special touring events on the app are organized on a time- and region-limited basis. We set a theme for the events based on the castles and history (including famous

people and battles) of the region in question. Historical tourism spots relevant to that theme are also designated. Visitors then use their GPS to travel around these spots and collect “stamps.” This invites users of the app from around the country to come and visit the region, traveling around it and thus contributing to regional invigoration. Selection Comment: This project was evaluated as having technological innovation in that it enabled regional invigoration through coordination with local governments to create a GPS-based smartphone app in which tourists visit 3,000 castles and castle sites around the country and enjoy them as historical tourism resources.

Special Awards for Digital Utilization

Organization name：SoundUD Consortium Initiative：Efforts to Realize a Society of Sound Universal Design Initiative Overview: Going into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics & Paralympics, so that we can introduce it on a nationwide scale all at once, all members are coming together to prepare an all-Japan system. Since “sound communication” is the core technology, the “sound producers” and “sound recipients” are both necessary components, and they are working to introduce them to the world at the same time. The sound broadcasters (airports, airline companies, railways, buses, commercial facilities, tourist spots, stadiums, etc.) have completed demonstrations at each facility and are preparing for the full- fledged rollout. The sound providers (manufacturers and service providers) develop products and services that incorporate this technology in their devices and content. The sound recipients (be they app providers or signage companies) incorporate an SDK and add a feature so that each user can receive this service. Selection Comment: The effort to create an environment where, through “Sound Universal Design,” everyone—be they foreign tourists or people with hearing impairments—can parse the information from sound has both development potential and an extremely high level of social value. The multilingual guidance function is having positive effects in many areas, including disaster risk reduction, announcements in buses and trains, and explanations of traditional performing arts.

Special Awards for Digital Utilization

Organization name：SoftBank Corp. Initiative：Activities and Dynamic Analysis by “Japan 2 Go!”—an Event-Coordinated Multilingual Sightseeing Cloud Service Initiative Overview: (1) Unifying registration for various contents by connecting nationwide tourism information databases and local tourism information databases, thus lightening the burden

on the officers responsible for registration (2) Distributing information to various media outlets by creating a multilingual tourism information database and connecting with API (3) Visualizing movement inside each area using GPS logs collected from the sightseeing cloud, and performing effectiveness measurement (4) Promoting downloads of sightseeing apps by coordinating with events, and visualizing trends before, during, and after the events (5) Creating regional appeal using digital photo contest functions, and utilizing that as secondary-use data (6) Promoting traveling around the area using digital coupon functions (see accompanying document) (7) Promoting downloads using online lottery functions (see accompanying document) Selection Comment: This innovative effort at multilingual development for travel info utilizes technology that allows local governments to easily publish tourism information through smartphone apps and increase the number of visitors by spreading the word about local attractions. For these reasons it was evaluated as having significant development potential.

The Japan Tourism Awards for Responsible Tourism in collaboration with UNWTO

Organization name：Yakushima Nature Activity Center Inc. Initiative：Promoting Ecotourism in Yakushima Initiative Overview：Even though the region was long known only for the tourism resources of the Jomon Cedar and climbing Mt. Miyanoura, we organized our own ecotourism program way back in 1993, before ecotourism was as popular as it is today. With nature-walking in places such as Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine and Yakusugi Land, kayaking and climbing in the Anbo River basin, as well as sea- kayaking, diving, and other marine activities, there is a real enthusiasm for all the wonderful ecotouring Yakushima provides. In order to firm up the guiding industry and ensure the setting in of the idea of ecotourism in the local region, we have led the charge as an opinion leader in a variety of fields. In February 2018, we hosted the Japan Ecotourism Society “All-Japan Ecotourism Convention in Yakushima,” with our representative director serving as the chair of the organizing committee. Selection Comment: It was evaluated as having functioned for more than a quarter of a century to develop ecotourism programs that promote not only fun activities but also learning about the natural environment, based around the natural scenery of the World Heritage Site of Yakushima. It is a tremendous achievement to have been able to add new value to Yakushima’s tourism, which was once only seen as being of note for its primeval cedar tree and the mountain of Miyanoura.