2024/04/19 09:21

Tourism is ace in the hole for Japan

FEATURE
Let’s travel with foreigners for the purpose of rediscovering the fascination of Japan.
Tourism is ace in the hole for Japan to be international and vitalized locally.Let’s travel with foreigners for the purpose of rediscovering the fascination of Japan.
Wu YingJi, a student from China
interviewed Pro. Suzuki
Tourism Authority of Japan will start on Oct. 1st.
Wu YingJi, a student from China interviewed Pro. Suzuki who makes efforts on tourism in Japan aiming at “a tourism nation” by making use of his own experiences in a major travel agency.
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1. What’s the importance of tourism?

To vitalize Japan, especially stimulate local industry, “tourism” is very important key, I think. Until recently, there had been big outbound tourism (Japanese people’s going abroad) and small inbound tourism (accepting foreign tourists in Japan) in Japan. Accepting foreign tourists in Japan is effective for Japan to be international. Tourists from various countries vitalize local areas and causes us to be proud of our own hometown again.

Tourism provides a spark for industries to vitalize. Shops and accommodations for tourists will be established and new souvenirs will be invented.


2. What do you think impresses us most about Japan?

There are a wide variety of characters according to regions ranging from Hokkaido to Okinawa in this small country. The nature and contrasts of all four seasons and local specialties are great, and we have many kinds of characteristic hot springs. Hospitality peculiar to Japanese, if Japanese understand foreigners more and are proud of their own region, will become a big tourist resource.

3. What do you think is most necessary for Japan to be a tourism nation?

We need to try to find a lot to be proud of in Japan with foreigners. Things that are commonplace for us can be very attractive for foreigners.
Public organizations and major companies in the tourism industry need to provide opportunities for foreigners to perform as leader. We need to make efforts to make students from overseas and foreigners who will stay long think it’s comfortable to live in Japan.
If they will say that they like Japan when they come back to their home countries, it will be excellent PR.


4. Would you give messages for students who are interested in the tourism industry?

I want you to strive to be professionals of tourism. In my laboratory, a student from China strived to qualify as a professional of tourism and joined a major travel agency.

In his third year with the agency, he made an important role in the Beijing Olympics on the ground, because foreigners can care for many things that can not be done by Japanese.

I want you to gain enough experience and aim to be a manager in a Japanese company.
In the future, opportunities to demonstrate your abilities will increase without doubt, and you strive to be a leader then.


5. What’s your motto?

Seeing is believing. I think it’s important for us to experience anything with our body as well as with our mind. When you want to do something, try it first.

Pro. Suzuki who makes efforts on tourism in Japan

Professor Masaru Suzuki ProfileGraduated from School of Commerce, Waseda University in 1967 and joined JTBAfter work at the Kyoto branch, 5 years in Sydney and 4 years in Beijing as responsible officialAfter manager of Oceania in JTB World and manager of Asia of directors, 8 years ago, he started to give lectures such as “Vitalization of international tourism” to university students as a professor who had carried through his own businessman life. Now he is making efforts to forge “a tourism nation, Japan” where expanding equilibrium of two-way tourism, inbound and outbound is established.