COMPLETION REPORT
Identifying the Role of Tourism in the Process of Natural Disaster Recovery:
Comparison between Earthquake Recovery in Kumamoto Prefecture and Hokkaido Prefecture
Chung Shing Chan
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Geography and Resource Management
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Research Objectives
This project aims at comparing Kumamoto Prefecture and Hokkaido Prefecture that were affected byearthquakes in 2016 and 2018 separately. The precise objectives are:
1. To identify influences of culture, attitude and behavior in earthquake recovery in the twoPrefectures;
2. To investigate the role of tourism in earthquake recovery; and3. To advance natural disaster management framework with functions of tourism incorporated
Methodology and Field WorkThe research team conducted interviews with local tourism stakeholders in Kumamoto and Hokkaido
regions. The interview questions elucidated stakeholders’ experience and views on their contributions
and interconnections to disaster management process. The questions were based on the six phases ofdisaster management process by Faulkner (2001) and Ritchie (2004). The interviews were conductedin: (1) July 2018 in Kumamoto (10 participants), and (2) August 2019 in Hokkaido (15 participants).
Thematic content analysis was used to comparing, contrasting and categorizing the responses obtained
from the interviews according to the frameworks.
Key Findings
1) Multi-functionality of tourism resources, spaces and industries are prominent for disaster preparationand emergency phases in both Prefectures.
2) Whereas Kumamoto recovery tends to focus on knowledge and information building, Hokkaido’s
case stresses the importance of accurate and timely communication.
3) Three post-disaster (intermediate, recovery and resolution) phases demonstrate more possibilities ofrestoring the affected destination to a state of long-term (re)development in product creation, image
improvement, local knowledge enrichment, and people-to-people and people-to-place connections.
4) Returning to a “pre-disaster” state in terms of tourist arrival only is undesirable but transforming thecorresponding tourism strategies to suit the resources, cultures and characteristics of the specificdestinations (e.g. culture-based versus nature-based) in a regional context is more sustainable.
5) Collaboration is the key determinant to an improved region and greater disaster resilience, which
could integrate stakeholders through shared local values, experiences and memories in disaster risk
communication and strategies for preparedness.
6) The use of mascot like Kumamon is strongly supported to rebuild the destination image and local
spirit as compared with relatively weaker case in Hokkaido.
Implications and Advice
1) Tourism forms a platform that must involve stakeholders’ organizations in the disaster recovery.
People-to-people and people-to-destination integration must be considered in the disastermanagement process, especially during long term recovery and resolution periods.

2) In territories with diversified cultures of local communities, indigenous groups and governance,
more studies and experience sharing should be undertaken to further understand how stakeholders’network and power structure work in disasters.
3) The Japan Government should better integrate tourism into disaster management frameworks, rather
than locating the industry in a separate domain of recovery. The results demonstrate the significant
contribution of tourism to all phases of the disaster process.
Future Research
Future research may continue: (1) to compare how the roles of tourism differ between types of tourismactors and disasters; (2) to refine the framework in different disaster-prone destinations such as Japanand the region; (3) to investigate the socio-cultural characteristics of different cities or regions within
Japan; and (4) to explore the potential contribution of special-interest tourism in destination
revitalization.

Publication of the Results of Research Project:
Verbal Presentation (Date, Venue, Name of Conference, Title of Presentation, Presenter, etc.)(1) 6 June 2019; The 2nd Lincoln International Business School (LIBS) Annual Research Showcase, inUniversity of Lincoln, United Kingdom (One Keynote presentation); Title of presentation: Tourism
and natural disaster recovery: Perception of tourism stakeholders in the 2016 Kumamoto
earthquake in Japan; Presenter: Chan, C. S.
(2) 20-22 April 2019; The 2nd conference from the Global Congress of Special Interest Tourism &Hospitality (2nd GLOSITH), in Taipei, Taiwan; Title of presentation: Tourism and natural disasterrecovery: Perception of tourism stakeholders in Kumamoto earthquake in Japan; Presenter: Chan,C. S.
(3) (Postponed) 15-21 April 2021; The 16th World Leisure Congress, in Pinggu-Beijing, China; Titleof presentation: The role of tourism in the process of natural disaster recovery: Lessons learnt fromearthquake recovery in Kumamoto Prefecture and Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan; Presenter: Chan, C.
S.
(4) 24 September 2020; Departmental Seminar of Department of Geography and Resource
Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Title of presentation: Tourism and natural
disaster recovery: Perception of tourism stakeholders in Kumamoto earthquake 2016 in Japan;
Presenter: Chan, C. S.
Thesis (Name of Journal and its Date, Title and Author of Thesis, etc.)(1) Chan, C. S., Nozu, K., & Cheung, L. T. O. (2019). Tourism and natural disaster managementprocess: Perception of tourism stakeholders in the case of Kumamoto earthquake in Japan. Current
Issues in Tourism, 23(15), 1864-1885. [SSCI: 3.395](2) Chan, C. S., Nozu, K., & Zhou, Q. (2020). Tourism stakeholder perspective for disastermanagement process and resilience: The case of 2018 Hokkaido earthquake in Japan.
Sustainability, under review.
(3) Chan, C. S., Nozu, K., & Zhou, Q. (2020). Advancing tourism disaster management process andbuilding destination resilience: The experience of 2018 Hokkaido earthquake in Japan and beyond.
Tourism Recreation Research, under review.
Book (Publisher and Date of the Book, Title and Author of the Book, etc.)
N/A