Inbound tourists to Japan to enjoy ‘experiences’ connected with nature & culture

Wealthy visitors to Japan and repeat visitors, who visit Japan multiple times, tend to have a strong interest in visiting local regions and want to connect with nature and culture in Japan through “experiences”.

To cultivate this interest in tourists and attract more foreign travellers to local regions in Japan, the Japan Tourism Agency’s (JTA) “Tourism Vision Realization Program 2019” has called for the development of new regional tourist content to deliver appealing content that utilizes national parks, cultural properties.

Among the many kinds of “experiences,” especially noteworthy is Japan’s adventure tourism. Adventure tourism has three pillars—activity, nature, and intercultural experience—and aims for the sustainable development of the region and revitalization of the regional economy. 

According to JTA, local ‘experience’ tours tend to be seen as something to fill time while travelling in Japan. In contrast, overseas, there are more than a few high-priced ‘experience’ tours which themselves are the actual purpose of travel. “In the future, genuine experience-type local tours will be given more importance in Japan as well”, says JTA.