216

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook

Section 2
Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation andIssues Based on Surveys
INADA, Yoshihisa; OSHIMA, Hisanori; NOMURA, Ryosuke

1. Introduction
In Section 1, we argued that an analysis of inbound tourism must examine theroles of brand power, tourism regionalization, and innovation, in addition to“safety, security and comfort” which is a concept advocated by APIR (see Figure
B in Chapter 4 and Box 1 in Section 1). In particular, tourism regionalization
plays a significant role when trying to encourage a more even distribution of
tourists within a larger territory, beyond the crowded tourist attractions.
In order to shed light on the nature of tourism organizations in each prefecture, as well as their policies and issues, we have conducted a series of surveys.
Based on the survey findings, we have identified the main policy issues and used
these as a starting point for our discussion regarding post-pandemic inboundtourism strategies (for details, see Table 4-2-1 at the end of this section).1)

2. Summary of survey findings by prefecture(1) Survey structureThis subsection introduces an analysis of data regarding foreign overnight
guests, then summarizes the main findings of the interviews with the authoritiesof each prefecture.
In order to better understand the behavior of foreign visitors in Kansai’s six
prefectures, we examined data regarding the total number of foreign overnight
guests by municipality for 2012, the year before the surge in shopping spreesby Chinese tourists known as “bakugai” or “explosive buying,” and for 2019, theyear before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.2)
The main findings of the interviews are summarized based on the following
key themes:• Organizations in charge of inbound tourism promotion

1) For details regarding the tourism strategy of each prefecture, please consult the bibliography at the end of this section.
2) The present study is the result of a joint-research project with the Kinki District Transport
Bureau. We take this opportunity to extend our gratitude.

Section 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

217

Part Ⅱ(2) Survey findings
According to the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), in 2019 the total number offoreign overnight guests in the greater Kansai area was 33,740,000. Of which,
17,930,000 guests chose Osaka Prefecture, while 12,030,000 guests chose Kyoto
Prefecture. These figures correspond to 53.1% and 35.6% of the total and provethat overnight guests tend to concentrate in these two areas (Figure 4-2-1).
As for the rest of Kansai, the situation is as follows: Hyōgo, 1,370,000 guests(4.1%), Wakayama, 660,000 guests (2.0%), Nara, 540,000 (1.6%), and Shiga,
420,000 (1.3%). It is clear that the numbers paint a very different picture according to the prefecture.

Part Ⅰ• Prefectural approaches to the concept of “brand” and its implementation•	Measures to increase tourism expenditure and the number of foreign visitors• The main challenges of tourism regionalization•	Cooperation with other local governments and DMOs (Destination Management Organization)

1,366,850（4.1％）

12,025,050（35.6％）
423,890（1.3%）

17,926,170（53.1%）
133,560（0.4%）
388,950（1.2%）
658,480（2.0%）

Figure 4-2-1

535,290（1.6%）The total number of overnight guests in the greater Kansai region(2019)

Source: Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (JTA)

Part Ⅳ

184,600（0.5％）Part Ⅲ

97,730（0.3%）

218

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook

1) Shiga Prefecture【Data regarding foreign overnight guests】
A comparison of data for 2012 with 20193) shows that the total number of foreign
overnight guests grew by a factor of approximately 3 in the case of Ōtsu City,and 9 in the southern part of the prefecture (Moriyama and Yasu cities). In thenorthern part, in Takashima City, the number grew by a factor of approximately
8. Overall, there is an upward trend, especially in the southern part (Figure
4-2-2).4)【2012】
Takashima
City

NagahamaCity【2019】

184,831Ōtsu City
56,334Moriyama
City
KusatsuCity
Koka City

Figure 4-2-2>30,000
10,000～30,000
3,000～10,000
1,500～3,000
250～1,500
1～250<1>160,000
30,000～160,000
10,000～30,000
3,000～10,000
1,500～3,000
250～1,500
1～250<1The total number of foreign overnight guests by municipality in
Shiga Prefecture

Source: Prepared based on individual data from Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (JTA)【Organization in charge of inbound tourism promotion】
In Shiga Prefecture the Tourism Promotion Bureau (20 employees), part of theCommerce, Industry, Tourism and Labor Department, is in charge of tourism
policies, including inbound tourism. Its main tasks are planning, domestic tours,
attracting the film industry, and promoting “Biwaichi” (cycling around Lake
Biwa). One person is in charge of promoting inbound tourism.

3) For a detailed account of nationality-based data for each municipality, see APIR (2021). Thisapplies for all prefectures covered below.
4) On the other hand, the day time/night time visitor ratio in Shiga Prefecture peaked in 2015and has been following a downward trend since 2016. This suggests a tendency to visit theprefecture during the day time and spend the night outside of it. Considering that the daytime/night time visitor ratio in neighboring Kyoto Prefecture is on an upward trend, we caninfer that foreign visitors are inclined to visit Shiga during the day and spend the night inKyoto.

Section 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

219【Cooperation with other local governments and DMOs】
Tourism product development is secured through close collaboration with
Regional DMOs (Biwako Visitors Bureau). It is also working with the Unionof Kansai Governments, the Central Japan Tourism Organization, and the
Fukui-Shiga-Kyoto Tourism Promotion Council to encourage tourism in a coordinated manner.
2) Kyoto Prefecture【Data regarding foreign overnight guests】
A comparison of data for 2012 with 2019 shows that the total number of foreign
overnight guests grew by a factor of approximately 4 in Kyoto City, 3.8 in Miyazu
City (northern part of the prefecture), and 8.9 in Kameoka City (central part).
The share of Kyoto City was 98.4% in 2012, and 98.5% in 2019, reflecting the unbalanced distribution of guests across the prefecture (Figure 4-2-3).

Part Ⅱ
Part Ⅲ【The main challenges of tourism regionalization】
Intermodal transportation to tourist attractions is a current issue. There are also
ongoing efforts to translate information boards into foreign languages, startingwith national heritage sites.

Part Ⅳ【Measures to increase tourism expenditure and the number of foreign visitors】
Attracting visitors, especially from Kyoto City, was cited as a priority issue. For
this reason, Kyoto Tower has been used to provide tourist information on Shiga
Prefecture (Soko Shiga). In addition, promotion campaigns in the sister states/
regions of Michigan (USA) and Hunan (China) advertised the history and the
products of the prefecture, such as ninjas and Japanese sake. Since 2015, a PR
campaign for cycling around Lake Biwa (“Biwaichi”) was developed in association with the Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer GIANT.

Part Ⅰ【Prefectural approaches to the concept of“brand”】
Considering that Lake Biwa is located within the prefecture, water and nature
are an important part of the local identity. Looking forward to the post-pandemicera, the prefecture is taking advantage of its proximity to major urban areas andthe fact that it is relatively sparsely populated to create new types of tourism,
such as work vacations, and to promote itself as a “workation” destination.

220

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook【2012】【2019】

MiyazuCity:
9,550

MiyazuCity:
36,470

Kyoto City:
1,058,849
Kameoka City:
744

Figure 4-2-3>1,000,000
5,000～1,000,000
2,500～5,000
1,000～2,500
500～1,000
1～500<1Kyoto City:4,273,822

Kameoka
City:
6,639

The total number of foreign overnight guests by municipality in
Kyoto Prefecture

Source: Prepared based on individual data from Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (JTA)【Organization in charge of inbound tourism promotion】
In Kyoto Prefecture, the Commerce, Industry, Labor and Tourism Department(23 employees) is in charge of tourism policies. Its main tasks are planning andcoordination of tourism policies, development of accommodation facilities, promotion of tourism and information dissemination about each region of the prefecture, international tourism, tourism regionalization and attraction of MICE
tourism.
【Prefectural approaches to the concept of “brand”】
The entire prefecture except Kyoto City is divided into four areas collectively
branded as “Another Kyoto:” “Kyoto by the Sea” (northern part of the prefecture), “Woodland Kyoto” (central part), “Kyoto Tea Country” (southern part),and “Kyoto Otokuni Bamboo Grove” (Mukō and Nagaokakyō cities, and Ōyamazaki town).5)【Measures to increase tourism expenditure and the number of foreign visitors】
The Tourism Office conducts PR campaigns through online business meetingsand videos promoting Kyoto in places such Hong Kong and Taiwan, which havea high ratio of repeat tourists. The campaigns also target markets with high potential such as Thailand. Since 2014, the prefecture has also established a “tour-5) The DMOs established in these areas are registered with JTA as follows: Kyoto by the Sea,
Woodland Kyoto, and Kyoto Tea Country. In the case of Kyoto Otokuni Bamboo Grovearea, neither a registered DMO nor a candidate DMO has yet been established.

【Cooperation with other local governments and DMOs】
There is a significant number of collaborations with other prefectures.
•	The establishment of the “Japan Luxury Travel Alliance” (Ishikawa Prefecture, Kyoto City, Sapporo City, Takayama City, Nara City, Wakayama Prefecture) in order to attract wealthy Western tourists.
• Promotion of San’in Coast Geopark (with Hyōgo and Tottori prefectures).
•	Overseas PR campaign implemented through cooperation between Japan
Railways and the 12 prefectures along the Hokuriku Shinkansen line.
•	Cooperation based on the national heritage (with Fukui and Shiga prefectures).
•	
Educational travel promotion campaign in Taiwan (with Osaka, Nara,
Hyōgo, Wakayama prefectures).
All of the DMOs in the prefecture have the vice-governor of Kyoto Prefecture as their vice-president, and Kyoto Prefecture officials among their staff. In
addition, Kyoto Prefecture is in charge of the secretariat of the Tourism Sector
Bureau (Union of Kansai Governments), and is also working on promoting theentire Kansai region overseas in cooperation with the Kansai Tourism Bureau.
6) In addition to gathering information regarding the local travel trends, the tourism representative also offers information about the sightseeing areas in Kyoto Prefecture to the
local companies and media, and conducts promotional campaigns to attract foreign visitors.

Part Ⅱ【The main challenges of tourism regionalization】
The main challenge is to encourage visitors, the majority of which concentrate
in Kyoto City, to also visit other parts of the prefecture in order to increase theeconomic ripple effect of tourism.

Part Ⅲ

ism representative”6) who has the role of liaising with local officials, gathering
market data, and disseminating information in key markets such as Taiwan andHong Kong.
Markets with high tourism expenditure, such as Europe, the USA, and Australia, are also targeted. Nevertheless, the emphasis is on the Australian market,
which is easier to travel to and has fewer major cities, making it less complicatedto narrow down PR campaign targets. Promotion campaigns and online business meetings are organized in Melbourne.
Each DMO also conducts independent PR activities. For example, the Kyoto by the Sea DMO focuses on Australia, where the idea of “seaside” is popular,
while the Woodland Kyoto DMO focuses on the USA. There is no overseas PR
campaign yet in the case of the Kyoto Tea Country DMO.

Part Ⅰ

221

Part Ⅳ

Section 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

222

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook

In most cases, cooperation with the municipalities within the prefecture is done
indirectly through the respective local DMOs.
3) Osaka Prefecture【Data regarding foreign overnight guests】
A comparison of data for 2012 with 2019 shows that the total number of foreign
overnight guests grew by a factor of approximately 4.7 in Osaka City, 4.8 in
Sakai City, and 2.2 in Izumisano City where Kansai International Airport (KIX)
is located. While the number of foreign guests has been increasing steadily inboth the north and south of the prefecture, the overwhelming majority continue
to choose Osaka City for their stay (Figure 4-2-4).
Osaka City’s share within Osaka Prefecture expanded from 79.1% in 2012
to 86.0% in 2019, while during the same interval Izumisano City’s share shrankfrom 14.4% to 7.7%. It appears that Osaka City’s increasing number of lodging
facilities improved its capacity to accommodate guests arriving at KIX.
【2012】【2019】

Osaka City:
1,717,392

Osaka City:
8,098,635

Sakai City:
44,890Sakai City:
216,685

Izumisano City:
323,267

Izumisano City:
725,637>1,000,000
100,000～1,000,000
50,000～100,000
10,000～50,000
5,000～10,000
1,000～5,000
500～1,000
1～500<1Figure 4-2-4

The total number of foreign overnight guests by municipality inOsaka Prefecture

Source: Prepared based on individual data from Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (JTA)【Organization in charge of inbound tourism promotion】
Osaka Prefecture’s organizations in charge of tourism are the Planning andTourism Division (27 employees) and the Urban Development Promotion Division (23 employees), both are part of the Urban Development Bureau. The planning and implementation of measures such as tourism promotion are entrusted

Section 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

223

to the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (DMO for regional cooperation).

【The main challenges of tourism regionalization】
One of the main goals is to attract visitors from Western markets and encouragethem to stay longer and spend more by integrating the north, east and south ofthe prefecture with Osaka City. This is believed to expand the positive economic
effects of tourism across the prefecture. The main measures to achieve that goalare:•	PR campaigns promoting history (tumuli, Osaka Castle, etc.), culture, andcuisine.
•	the implementation of a regulatory system for special private lodging areas
in order to cope with the increasing number of foreign visitors.
• testing the feasibility of a sightseeing bus linking Osaka and Sakai cities.
【Cooperation with other local governments and DMOs】
The Urban Development Bureau divisions in charge of tourism share their strategy with Osaka City, while also offering support to other municipalities for theirrespective initiatives.
In terms of cooperation with DMOs, the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bu7) This idea is also reflected by the “Osaka City Urban Development Strategy – 2025,” one of
the goals of which is to project the image of a ”diverse tourist city.”

Part Ⅱ
Part Ⅲ

While the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau is in charge of promotion,
the aforementioned Urban Development Bureau divisions are in charge of developing new tourist routes across the prefecture, as well as urban zoning anduncovering potential tourist attractions in Osaka City.

Part Ⅳ【Measures to increase tourism expenditure and the number of foreign visitors】
Considering that 75% of foreign visitors are from East Asia, one of the main
post-pandemic goals is to encourage their return. Europe, the USA, and Australia are also seen as potential target markets due to their high tourism expenditure. Nevertheless, considering the current restrictions on international travel,for now the primary objective is to stimulate domestic tourism.

Part Ⅰ【Prefectural approaches to the concept of “brand”】
Osaka Prefecture tries to appeal to tourists by promoting itself as a place of diversity7) in terms of cuisine, culture, history, entertainment, etc.

224

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook

reau enjoys a high degree of freedom in developing policies, in addition to itsrole in marketing, promotion and information dissemination.
4) Hyōgo Prefecture【Data regarding foreign overnight guests】
Comparing the data for 2012 and 2019 shows that the total number of foreign
overnight guests grew by a factor of approximately 3 in Kobe City, but just 2 inHarima and Tamba provinces. On the other hand, in Tajima province (Toyo’oka
City, Kami and Shin’onsen towns) the number of guests expanded ten-fold. However, the large majority of guests are concentrated in Kobe, Toyo’oka and Himeji
cities. Fixing this uneven distribution represents a major challenge (Figure 4-25).
【2012】
Shin’onsencho
Asago City

【2019】

Toyo’oka City
Kobe City
176,926

581,705

Himeji City
MinamiAwaji City

Figure 4-2-5>50,000
10,000～50,000
5,000～10,000
2,500～5,000
500～2,500
250～500
1～250<1>500,000
50,000～500,000
10,000～50,000
5,000～10,000
2,500～5,000
500～2,500
250～500
1～250<1

The total number of foreign overnight guests by municipality inHyōgo Prefecture

Source: Prepared based on individual data from Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (JTA)【Organization in charge of inbound tourism promotion】
In Hyōgo Prefecture, the Tourism Bureau (14 employees), part of the Industry
and Labor Department, is in charge of tourism policies. It is further divided
into the Planning and Promotion divisions which are handling both domestic
and foreign affairs. In addition, the bureau is sharing the same location with the
Hyōgo Tourism Head Office (27 employees), the prefecture-level DMO, thus
encouraging a close relationship between the two.

Section 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

225【Cooperation with other local governments and DMOs】
The Hyōgo Tourism Head Office is also playing a part in inbound tourism-related activities, while the prefecture is the one initiating the action plans.
5) Nara Prefecture【Data regarding foreign overnight guests】
Comparing the data for 2012 and 2019 shows that the total number of foreign
overnight guests grew by a factor of approximately 10 in Nara City, while in Ikoma City it grew by an impressive factor of 34 (both are located in the northernpart of the prefecture). In the western part, in Heguri Town, where Mount Shigi
is located, the number grew by a factor of approximately 10. Meanwhile in theeastern part, it grew approximately ten fold in Tenri City, and by 3 in Kashihara
City. In the southern part, it grew by a factor of approximately 26 in Gojō City,
9 in Yoshino Town, 13 in Tenkawa Village, and 8 in Totsukawa Village (Figure
4-2-6).

Part Ⅱ
Part Ⅲ【The main challenges of tourism regionalization】
In terms of regional PR, the bureau is struggling to find a balance between focusing on the core strengths of the prefecture and fairness toward all of its fiveprovinces. As the five regions are dispersed, the development of tourist routes
and intermodal transportation are a current issue.

Part Ⅳ【Measures to increase tourism expenditure and the number of foreign visitors】
The bureau has established an overseas office for PR purposes and it is alsoplanning to attract more visitors via regional airports in neighboring Chugoku
and Shikoku. As in Nara Prefecture, described below, Hyōgo also uses former
school principals to assist with welcoming school trips from abroad.
The bureau is also involved in numerous overseas travel expos in collaboration with the major cities in the prefecture. It has also adopted a proactive
stance in developing a certain amount of tourist products in association withprefectural DMOs.

Part Ⅰ【Prefectural approaches to the concept of “brand”】
Given the distinct nature of each of the five regions forming it and althougheach region has abundant tourist resources, there is not a single unified brandof “Hyōgo Prefecture.” The PR campaigns revolve around promoting the prefecture as a place of different elements with tourist potential such as Himeji Castle,
Kobe beef, and so on.

226

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook【2012】
HeguriTown【2019】
Nara City
30,462

314,769

Kashihara
City
YoshinoTown
Gojo City

Totsukawa
Village>10,000
2,500～10,000
500～2,500
250～500
100～250
50～1001～50<1Figure 4-2-6>240,000
10,000～240,000
2,500～10,000
500～2,500
250～500
100～250
50～100
1～50<1

The total number of foreign overnight guests by municipality in
Nara Prefecture

Source: Prepared based on individual data from Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (JTA)

While the increase rate is significant overall, considering that overnight
guests tend to concentrate in the northern part, attracting them to entire prefecture remains an issue.
【Organization in charge of inbound tourism promotion】
In Nara Prefecture, the Tourism Bureau (approximately 50 employees), part of
the Industry, Tourism and Employment Promotion Department, is in charge of
tourism policies, which includes inbound tourism. Its main tasks cover improving tourism infrastructure, accommodations, attracting tourists, disseminating
information, and attracting MICE tourism.
【Prefectural approaches to the concept of“brand”】
The core of Nara Prefecture’s brand is represented by its rich “nature, history
and cultural assets.” In order to attract new tourists, it is necessary to capitalize
on Nara’s rich heritage, and to make its charm more widely known.
【Measures to increase tourism expenditure and the number of foreign visitors】
One coordinator is appointed to promote Nara Prefecture to the Chinese-speaking world. Similarly, a former school principal is appointed to use their connections and experience in order to attract school trips from overseas. One of thecurrent challenges is to increase Nara’s popularity among Europeans, so theSection 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

2276) Wakayama Prefecture【Data regarding foreign overnight guests】
Comparing the data for 2012 and 2019 shows that the total number of foreign
overnight guests grew by a factor of approximately 4.1, the upward trend being
the most prominent in the south of the prefecture. By main municipality, thenumber of guests grew by a factor of approximately 9 in Wakayama City, 4 in
Shirahama Town, 5 in Kōya Town, and 17 in Tanabe City (Figure 4-2-7).

Part Ⅱ
Part Ⅲ【Cooperation with other local governments and DMOs】
Municipalities, tourism associations, and DMOs have been cooperating witheach other through city planning agreements and meetings at various levels.
However, it is necessary to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each entity
and to further strengthen cooperation so that they can work on tourism promotion in a coordinated and proactive manner.

Part Ⅳ【The main challenges of tourism regionalization】
One of the main challenges when trying to attract tourists to the prefecture is
the transport infrastructure.
In order to tackle this issue, the prefecture is making efforts to ensure thatpublic transportation is smooth, comfortable, and easy to use for foreigners. It
is also promoting the use of major highways, such as the Keinawa Expressway(connecting Kyoto, Nara and Wakayama), and cycling routes which can contribute to the encouragement of tourism.

Part Ⅰ

bureau is focusing on activities such as travel exhibitions.
Policies to increase expenditure by foreign tourists aim to develop nature-based experiences and to improve the attractiveness of the city. The prefecture is focusing on improving the overall accommodation capacity of traditional
Japanese inns (ryokan) and hotels, while making efforts to promote a more even
distribution of accommodation facilities, considering that most are located in
Nara City.

228

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook【2012】
Wakayama City
10,919【2019】

Koya Town
6,854

96,79834,991

Tanabe City

ShirahamaTown
20,219Figure 4-2-7

Nachikatsuura
Town>20,000
1,000～20,000
500～1,000
250～500
1～250<174,100>50,000
20,000～50,000
1,000～20,000
500～1,000
250～500
1～250<1

The total number of foreign overnight guests by municipality inWakayama Prefecture

Source: Prepared based on individual data from Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (JTA)【Organization in charge of inbound tourism promotion】
In Wakayama Prefecture, the Tourism Bureau, part of the Department of Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Labor, is in charge of tourism policies, which includes
inbound tourism. Its main tasks are divided between domestic and foreign operations. Including members of the Wakayama Tourism Federation, which has its office within the Tourism Bureau, the total number of employees is approximately 50.
【Prefectural approaches to the concept of“brand”】
Wakayama prefecture is blessed with a wide variety of tourist attractions such as
the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes, Mount Kōya, and the Shirahama hot springs,
which it can use to attract foreign visitors.8) Its PR campaigns aim to make use ofhistorical and cultural assets, including World Heritage sites, in a sustainable way.
【Measures to increase tourism expenditure and the number of foreign visitors】
Even before Japan’s foreign tourism boom, businesses in the prefecture were proactively building relationships with major travel agencies in Hong Kong, Taiwan, andSouth Korea, and were adapting their tourist products to the needs of the respective
markets. As a result, a large number of overnight guests in destinations such as Shi-

8) Since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the prefecture is targeting domestic customers in
the Tokyo area by running a marketing campaign promoting itself as a “workation” destination. The campaign takes advantage of the short travel time between Tokyo and Wakayama
due to direct flights from Haneda Airport to Nanki Shirahama Airport.

Section 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

229

rahama were from East Asia. In addition, numerous promotion campaigns launchedin collaboration with international news websites such as BBC or CNN, and travel
websites such as Lonely Planet, led to a high ratio of visitors from Western countries.

Our analysis showed that policies and approaches toward tourism differ greatly
from one prefecture to another, according to their geographical conditions andmaturity as tourist destinations. We can summarize our analysis through thefollowing main ideas.9)(1)	Shiga Prefecture is taking advantage of its rich natural assets, including
Lake Biwa, to develop a unique appeal mindful of the post-pandemic travel
trends. It takes advantage of these assets as a PR tool and tries promoting
them through PR campaigns such as “Soko Shiga.”(2)	Kyoto Prefecture is trying to overcome the problem posed by the unbalanced tourist distribution in favor of Kyoto City by promoting less known
destinations within the prefecture.
(3)	Osaka Prefecture is focusing on diversity as the main distinguishing factor toincrease its appeal, mainly through the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau.
(4)	Hyōgo Prefecture is bringing to the forefront of its PR campaign the distinct
characteristics of its five regions.
(5)	Nara Prefecture is trying to encourage forms of tourism which imply overnight accommodation within the prefecture and a higher level of expenditure per capita.
(6)	Wakayama Prefecture, under the leadership of the local government, is9) For details regarding the tourism strategy of each prefecture, see the reference literature.

Part Ⅱ
Part Ⅲ3. The current situation and the main challenges in the six
prefectures of Kansai

Part Ⅳ【Cooperation with other local governments and DMOs】
Considering the developmental stage of private DMOs and other players in theprefecture, Wakayama is taking the lead in inbound tourism policies.

Part Ⅰ【The main challenges of tourism regionalization】
Most accommodation facilities in the prefecture are tailored for group tours, so
their main challenge is to adapt to the needs of individual tourists and increase
expenditure per capita.
Another issue is developing tourist routes that enhance regional interconnectivity between different attractions of the Kii Peninsula area.

230

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook

running PR campaigns for its numerous tourist attractions and encourages
cooperation among stakeholders.
Each prefecture has its own unique system to stimulate the development of
inbound tourism, leading to differences in terms of scale, policies, and divisionof responsibilities. This reflects the differences in each prefecture’s stance toward inbound tourism and the importance it gives to this sector.
While the specifics of each prefecture’s situation may vary, all of them areworking on tourism regionalization. In this context, detailed measures are required to compensate for the lack of infrastructure and encourage coordination
with local communities. Regional development cannot be carried out by the government alone, and the role of DMOs will become even more important, considering their ability to lead the way in public-private sector synergy, and work closelywith local communities while enjoying a certain degree of freedom of action.

Part Ⅱ
Part Ⅲ

References
Asia Pacific Institute of Research (2021) “Kansai as an Advanced Inbound Tourism
Destination: Towards a Sustainable Tourism Strategy - Research Report (2020).”
Hyōgo Prefecture (2020) “Hyōgo Tourism Strategy” (Japanese title: Hyōgo tsūrizumu senryaku), retrieved from: https://www.hyōgo-tourism.jp/files/pdf/
strategy/ doc05_05 (last verified on July 6, 2021).
Kyoto Prefecture (2019) “A Comprehensive Tourism Strategy for Kyoto Prefecture” (Japanese title: Kyōto-fu Kankō Sōgō Senryaku), retrieved from:https://www.pref.kyoto.jp/kanko/news/2018/documents/kankousougousenryaku.pdf (last verified on July 6, 2021).
Nara Prefecture (2021) “A Comprehensive Tourism Strategy for Nara Prefecture” (Japanese title: Nara-ken Kankō Sōgō Senryaku), retrieved from:http://www.pref. nara.jp/item/250854.htm (last verified on July 21, 2021).
Osaka Prefecture (2021) “Osaka City Urban Development Strategy – 2020”(Japanese title: Ōsaka Toshi Miryoku Sōzō Senryaku 2025), retrieved from:https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/attach/18716/00000000/strategy2025.pdf(last verified on July 6, 2021).
Shiga Prefecture (2021) “Healthy Shiga: Tourism Vision 2022” (Japanese title:“Kenkōshiga” tsūrizumu bijon 2022), retrieved from: https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/file/attachment/ 5107670.pdf (last verified on July 6, 2021).
Wakayama Prefecture (2021) “Wakayama Prefecture Tourism Promotion Action
Plan (Tourism Promotion Action Program 2021)” (Japanese title: Wakayama ken kankō shinkō jisshi kōdō keikaku (kankō shinkō akushon puroguramu
2021)), retrieved from: https://www.pref.wakayama.lg.jp/prefg/062400/
actionprogram2016_d/fil/00AP.pdf (last verified on July 6, 2021).

Part Ⅰ

231

Part Ⅳ

Section 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

232

Chapter 4 / Inbound Tourism in Kansai: A FY 2020 Retrospective and Outlook

Table 4-2-1

Survey items and content
Shiga Pref.

Organization

Measures toincrease thenumber of
foreign visitors

Tourism Bureau (approx. 20 employees
in total, 1 employee in charge of
inbound tourism)
・PR campaign in Taiwan in association
with the bicycle manufacturer GIANT.
・Participation to travel expos in
2018-19.
・Promotion campaigns in Michigan(USA) and Hunan (China), in addition
to France and the UK.
・Online advertising of nature, water
sports, ceramics, etc. Planning a PR
campaign centered around cycling inFrance and the UK.

Kyoto Pref.

Commerce, Industry, Labor and Tourism Department (23 employees)
・Promoting less-known areas of the prefecture inplaces such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, whichhave a high ratio of repeat tourists. An increasein the number of visitors from Thailand is also
expected.

Osaka Pref.

Planning and Tourism Division (27 employees), part of the Urban Development
Bureau・Attracting both Asian and non-Asian
tourists.

・PR campaigns in markets with high tourism
expenditure, such as Europe, the USA, andAustralia.

・Future PR campaigns in Westerncountries focusing on history, culture,and cuisine.
Measures to・Increase the accommodation capacity
increase conof hotels and private lodging.
sumption・Develop new tourist routes across theprefecture and uncover Osaka's hidden
tourist potential.
・Lake Biwa and nature are an import- ・The entire prefecture except Kyoto City is divided ・Promote Osaka Prefecture as a place
Views toward
ant part of the local identity. Tries
into three categories collectively branded as “An- of diversity in terms of cuisine, culture,other Kyoto,” which is made up of “Kyoto by thethe "brand"
to promote itself as a “workation”
history, entertainment, etc., not boundSea,” “Woodland Kyoto,” “Kyoto Tea Country,”
concept
destination.
by stereotypes.
and “Kyoto Otokuni Bamboo Grove.”・Trying to attract foreign visitors from ・Encourage visitors concentrated in Kyoto City to ・Attract tourists from Osaka City to thealso visit other parts of the prefecture.
Kyoto.
north, east and south of the prefecture.
Tourism regional- ・Ongoing efforts to improve intermodal ・Subsidize bus companies to offer bus passes for ・Test the feasibility of a sightseeing
izationthe aforementioned regions: “Kyoto by the Sea,”transportation and to translate inforbus linking Osaka and Sakai cities,
mation boards into foreign languages. “Woodland Kyoto,” and “Kyoto Tea Country.”and publish tourist maps of the areas
surrounding the tumuli, etc.
・Collaboration with Fukui Prefec・Promotion of the San'in Coast (with Hyōgo
・It is cooperating with the Union ofture for a PR campaign in Europe
and Tottori), national heritage (with Fukui andKansai Governments (Tourism Division)
Cooperation
promoting World Heritage sites.
Shiga), Miketsukuni Food Country (with Mie,for promotion campaigns such as thewith other local Advertisements in overseas magaFukui, Hyōgo), etc. In addition, an Overseas PR
creation and distribution of pamphlets.
zines, invitations to domestic tour
governments
campaign implemented through cooperation
The theme is decided by the Union ofoperators, etc.
between Japan Railways and the 12 prefectures
Kansai Governments.
along the Hokuriku Shinkansen line.
Cooperation ・PR campaigns are almost always done ・In most cases, cooperation with the munici・It offers support to local municipalities
palities within the prefecture is done indirectlywith municipalthrough local DMOs. In some cases,
for their PR initiatives.
ities within the
direct communication with municipali- through the respective local DMOs.
・Shares the same tourism strategy with
ties is also used.
prefecture
Osaka City."・In PR campaigns, it collaborates
・Constant cooperation for inbound tourism.
・The Osaka Convention & Tourism
Cooperation with with the Kansai Tourism Bureau,
・Collaboration with the Kyoto Tourism Federation Bureau enjoys a high degree of freedom in developing policies in terms of
DMOs & Division while tourist product development isand three regional DMOs, including personnel.
promotion and marketing.
of responsibilities secured through close collaboration
with local DMOs.
DMOs & Tourism ・Biwako Visitors Bureau (30 employ- ・Collaborating with the Kyoto Tourism Federation ・The Osaka Convention & Tourismees) (according to the "Japanese
associations
and the three regional DMOs, including sharing
Bureau is responsible for promotion
DMO Formation and Establishment
within the
personnel.
campaigns.
Plan")
prefecture・Strong relationship. Consensus must ・All the DMOs in the prefecture have the vice-gov- ・Collaboration for promotion camernor of Kyoto Prefecture as their vice-president,
paigns (creation and distribution of
be reached for every action.
Form of coopand Kyoto Prefecture officials as their staff.
pamphlets).
eration with the・The prefecture entrusts some of its PR campaigns ・While the theme is decided by the
Kansai Tourism
to the Bureau, and it is also participating inUnion of Kansai Governments, the preBureau
fecture is in charge of tourist productfamiliarization trips organized by the Bureau as
development.
part of its mass media campaigns.
Cooperation with
DMOs from other Central Japan Tourism Organization－－
regions

Source: based on the surveys conducted by APIR at tourist organizations in each prefecture.

Section 2 / Kansai’s Tourism Strategy: Current Situation and Issues Based on Surveys

Hyōgo Pref.

Nara Pref.

233

Wakayama Pref.

・Development of accommodation facilities on・Accommodation facilities tailored to groups are making
prefectural land.
investments in order to become able to accommodate
・Tourist product development in order tothe needs of individual tourists, and increase consumption
attract more visitors to the southern part of the
per capita.
prefecture.
・Development of activities that can be done in
the morning.

・PR campaigns focus on each individual
tourist location, such Kobe or Himeji,
rather than trying to promote a unified
image of the prefecture.

・The promotion campaign focuses on the historical and cultural heritage. In addition, tourist
products centered around nature and tumuli("Walking Nara") are also being refined.

・Its PR campaigns promote sustainable tourism basedon nature and historical heritage such as Kumano Kodo,
Mount Kōya and the Shirahama hot springs.

・Tries to attract tourists from Osaka and ・Encourage visitors concentrated in the north to ・The limited accommodation capacity of tourist attractions
Kyoto to the prefecture's five provinces.
also visit other parts of the prefecture.
during certain seasons represents a current issue (for・It is also planning to attract more visitors ・Currently, it is investing in major highways, such example, Shirahama during the summer season, and Mount
via regional airports located in Westernas the Keinawa Expressway (connecting Kyoto,
Koya the during autumn season).
Japan.
Nara and Wakayama), and cycling routes.
・It aims to involve Mie Prefecture in the development of
tourist routes that cover all of Kii Peninsula.
・It is focusing on promotion through the・Cooperation with Wakayama Prefecture to joint- ・Developing tourist routes in cooperation with the southernly promote tourist attractions such as Mount
Kansai Tourism Bureau and the Union ofpart of Nara Prefecture.
Kōya and Kumano Hongū Shrine.
Kansai Governments.
・Developing the "Pilgrim and Mount Kōya" route in cooperation with Tokushima and Kagawa prefectures.

・It offers consultancy for each proposal.

・It offers consultancy for each proposal.

・Conducting a promotion campaign in association with
Wakayama City. In addition, the prerogatives of the cityand those of the prefecture are clearly delineated.

・The prefecture is in charge of planning,
while DMOs are in charge of tourist
product development and promotion
campaigns.

・The prefecture is in charge of planning and pro- The prefectural government is collaborating with city halls,
motion campaigns, while DMOs are in charge of chambers of commerce and industry, etc., by focusing on
tourist product development.
social networking.

・It shares the same office space with
the Hyōgo Tourism Head Office (27employees).

・Nara Prefecture Visitors Bureau (approx. 20
employees)

・The Wakayama Tourism Federation and the prefectural
Tourism Bureau have a total of 13 or 14 employees incharge of inbound tourism.

・It accepts or rejects the initiatives (exhibi- ・It accepts or rejects the initiatives (exhibitions, ・Field trips, etc.
tions, familiarization trips, etc.) created by familiarization trips, etc.) created by the Bureau
the Bureau on a case-by-case basis.
on a case-by-case basis.

Setouchi Tourism DMO－－

Part Ⅱ・Currently, two producers of the Hyōgo
Tourism Head Office are in charge ofdeveloping new tourist products.

Part Ⅰ

Tourism Bureau & Wakayama Tourism Federation (approx.
50 employees in total, 13 or 14 employees in charge of
inbound tourism)
・The prefecture's overseas offices and・It focuses on PR campaigns in Europe (especially ・Even before Japan’s foreign tourism boom, businesses in
tourist information counters conduct PR
the prefecture were developing tourist products in cooperFrance).
ation with travel agencies in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South
campaigns.
・One coordinator is appointed to promote the
Korea, while strengthening their relationships.
・Former school principals are in charge ofprefecture to Chinese visitors.
international exchanges between schools. ・Former school principals are in charge of inter- ・Numerous promotion campaigns run in collaboration withnational exchanges between schools.
international news and travel websites.

Part Ⅲ

Tourism Bureau (approx. 50 employees)

Part Ⅳ

Tourism Bureau (14 employees) (& Hyōgo
Tourism Head Office (27 employees))