The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has officially launched its "Enjoy my Japan" global marketing campaign aimed at demonstrating to travelers that Japan has far more to offer than is typically perceived.
At an event in New York City, tourism executives said they were intent on enticing long-haul travelers to visit Japan and explore the country beyond its well-known attractions and immerse themselves more fully in Japanese nature and culture off the beaten tourist path. The promotion includes a dedicated website (enjoymyjapan.jp) with video clips that show a broad range of activities and scenes not typically associated with Japan, strategically targeted digital ads and television commercials.
Reiichiro Takahashi, Japan's ambassador to the U.S. in New York, said the country had seen 1.3 million visitors from the U.S in 2017 and overall foreign visitor totals of 28 million-both up more than 10 percent from the year before, with the total visitors up from less than 5 million in 2000.
He said that while shopping continues to be a major draw, culture and tradition are now gaining in importance as reasons to visit Japan. In addition, he said, culinary tourism is becoming more popular.
Also speaking at the event was Ryoichi Matsuyama, president of JNTO, who said 2017 was the seventh consecutive year that U.S. visitation was up. He said Japan has a goal of 40 million visitors and $80 billion in revenues from them by 2020, the year Tokyo will host the summer Olympics.
Matsuyama said there is plenty of room for growth from North America and Europe, which still account for a small percentage of tourism to Japan. He said the phrase Enjoy My Japan has a double meaning:
1) For travelers, it means discovering Japan through their own special interests and perspectives
2) For the Japanese, it means being able to share with guests their local attractions.
"We are looking beyond Mt. Fuji, cherry blossoms and temples," said Matsuyama. He said his office has broken down Japanese diversity into seven passions: cuisine, tradition, nature, city, relaxation, art and outdoor. Japan, he said, is also aiming to make a visit more attractive by offering amenities like free WiFi.
Also speaking at the event was Chick Corea, a famed jazz pianist who has toured in Japan every year since 1967. He said that he loves the country because of its "humanity" and the quality of living. "As soon as you get on a plane to Japan, you are in a different world," Corea said.
"Your quality of life instantly jumps up. The flight attendants are really attending to you and they are even polite at airport checkpoints." He said Americans will find they can relax in Japan because of the culture.
A cornerstone of the "Enjoy my Japan" campaign, according to JNTO, is the message that Japan literally has something for everyone, and that whatever it is a long-haul traveler goes to an overseas destination for, Japan is ready, willing, and waiting to fulfill their passions.
In addition to satisfying visitors from abroad with familiar, iconic sites the country has long been known for, there is also a desire to foster a richer and more personal experience by making lesser-known places and activities more accessible, especially to entire families and those with an adventurous spirit.
In constructing and honing the focus of the campaign, according to JNTO, avid travelers were surveyed to identify the things they find most alluring when choosing a destination abroad. Survey results revealed a series of commonly recurring "passion points" that make up a satisfying trip. In turn, these were categorized and compiled into a list of locations and experiences designed to fulfill a traveler's passions.
Website visitors also have the option of crafting their own "virtual tour" of Japan by answering a few quick questions about their interests, which then serves up a "personalized movie" with scenes that show the types of sites and experiences on offer from one end of Japan to the other.
"One's personal engagement with Japan starts at the website," Matsuyama said.
"It continues with enriching experiences like summer and winter adventure sports," he continued, "spring and autumn mountain treks and steam train rides, and seaside cycling excursions. Any time of year, Japan offers fine dining and mouthwatering street fare, vibrant night life in safe and spectacular cities, virtually unlimited shopping and entertainment options, exposure to ancient traditions that still exist side-by-side with emerging pop cultural trends, and physical and spiritual rejuvenation at remote hot springs, spas, and Zen Buddhist retreats."
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