CORE GROUP MEETING INVITATION
| Matsumoto City | Nagano City | Hakuba Ville. |
| Jan. 31th Thurs 16:00@Matsumoto U. |
Feb. 1st, Fri. 13:00@Kenchou |
TBD n/a |
INTRODUCTION
On one hand, we have foreigners flocking to see the snow monkeys. Aussies invading the ski slopes, and gaijin time- warping to Edo at Tsumago. On the other, bureaucrats are talking exponential increases of ‘Inbounds’, locals are worried about Niseko-iffication, and visitors from overseas looking to experience Japan’s heart and soul here in the countryside are running up against inconvenient info and language barriers. And then there’s those of us caught in between, working hard every day to help guests from overseas enjoy their stay in Nagano. But we are a scattered bunch, with very little if any opportunity to talk with each other, compare notes and share information. UNTIL NOW!
CURRENT SITUATION
- In 2005, 7.45 million foreign visitors entered Japan, a second consecutive annual record and 10.3% year-on-year increase.
- The Kanto and Kansai regions accounted for more than 70% of total visitors, with 4.07 million (+5.7%y-o-y) and 1.39 million (;5.9%y-o-y). Nagano Prefecture is within easy reach of both these areas.
- Number of international visitors to Nagano increased 3.9 times since 1999 from 46,689 to 184,055 . Although Taiwan and Korea are the two most common nationalities, visitors from the USA rank 3rd and there has been a notable increase in Australians in recent years.
MEETING GOALS
- To hold small-group discussions where people with on the ground experience of the “inbound” business here in Nagano can get together, air opinions and network.
- To identify the weaknesses, as well as the strengths of the inbound market here in Nagano and list-up some common problems that people have encountered at an individual or business level.
- To trouble shoot these problem areas and identify which ones can be resolved through better management etc, and which are infrastructural or administrative problems that need addressing by the Mura, Shi or Ken.
- Finally to lay the base for a prefecture-wide ‘Summit’ with the purpose of creating more integrated strategy to attract inbounds to Nagano-ken.
Sponsored by:
