JNTO formulates “inbound marketing strategy” until 2025!Easy-to-understand explanation | Visit Japanese laboratory

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced a new inbound marketing strategy on June 29.

The “Basic Plan for National Tourism Development,” released in March, outlines strategies for 2023 to 2025 to achieve “sustainable tourism,” “expand consumption,” and “promote local regions to attract tourists.” has been enacted. The content consists of three parts: “market strategy, cross-market strategy, and MICE strategy”, with the goal of “precise promotion development”.

This is what you need to know in order to drive future immigration measures, so I will briefly explain it in this article.

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JNTO develops new inbound marketing strategy

The inbound marketing strategy developed this time has the following structure.

• Marketing Strategies by Market: Specific Strategies for Each Country
• Cross-Marketing Strategies: Strategies that span countries and regions.High value-added tourism, adventure tourism, Osaka/Kansai World Expo + MICE marketing strategy

The overall effort is detailed, such as strategic themes and tourism content that match the goals.

Going forward, we plan to share strategies with the Japan Tourism Agency, local transportation bureaus, DMOs/local governments, etc., and formulate effective and efficient measures by FY2025.

Related article: The Japan Tourism Agency decides on the “Basic Plan for National Tourism Promotion”

Part 1 | Summary of Marketing Strategies by Market

First of all, in the “Market Strategy”, we screen out targets with high unit price of tourism consumption and high local tourism intentions from various markets. The target markets (countries) for this strategy are as follows.

• East Asia: South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong
• Southeast/South Asia: Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, India
• Oceania: Australia
• North America: United States, Canada, Mexico
• Europe: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Nordics (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland)
• Middle East: Israel, Türkiye, GCC

Based on the interests and concerns of the target group, we summarize the “appealing passion (theme)” and “tourism content”, and describe the promotion policy according to the media viewed and the way the travel is booked.

For example, in terms of strategy in the Chinese market, our goal is to attract repeat customers and high-income people, mainly people aged 20 to 40, to travel to Japan as soon as possible and attract them to rural areas. Especially for returning customers, we will promote nature, traditional culture, food and other content to attract tourists to rural tourism. For people in their early twenties (Generation Z) who have never been to Japan, we will try to attract tourists to rural areas by disseminating information such as movies and animations while considering overtourism.

Related article: The recovery of China’s tourism industry will accelerate the recovery of tourism in the Asia-Pacific region UNWTO Tourism Vision

Related Article: What Is Overtourism? ｜Introduction to problems, countermeasures, and examples of initiatives

PART 2 | OVERVIEW OF CROSS-MARKET MARKETING STRATEGIES

Cross-market strategies are implemented in conjunction with specific marketing strategies for each country and region. According to the characteristics of the target group, develop strategies for the following three themes.

1. high value travel
2. Adventure Travel (Austria)
3. Osaka/Kansai Expo

I will explain each one.

1. Value-added tourism

Measures related to “high value-added travel” are aimed at travelers who spend 1 million yen or more per trip to Japan.

Focusing on the “Model Tourist Destinations for Inbound Tourist Destination Development in Rural Areas (11 Regions)” selected by the Japan Tourism Agency, the policy of strengthening publicity and connection according to the characteristics of each target layer is expounded.

Specific examples include establishing a network with domestic DMCs (destination management companies) and suppliers, supporting the discovery, collection, accumulation and improvement of tourism menus and services, and strengthening information dissemination.

Related article: Over 1 million yen spent on one trip!Selection of 11 demonstration tourist destinations to attract “high value-added tourists” Japan Tourism Agency

2. Adventure Travel (AT)

Measures related to “Adventure Travel (hereinafter referred to as AT)” will target people who are interested in AT in North America, Europe, Australia, etc., which have a large market. Through the combination of activities and cultural experiences, Japan’s unique charm will be promoted.

The goal of the AT initiative is to make Japan the number one AT destination (AT destination) in Asia by FY2025. We will cooperate with ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association), the world’s largest international association of AT travel related people, and strive to attract tourists to various parts of Japan.

For example, the government will use the “Hokkaido Adventure Travel World Summit” in September 2023 as an opportunity to support the creation and sale of travel products (mainly adventure courses before the summit).

3. Osaka Kansai Expo

We also introduced initiatives related to the Osaka Kansai Expo to be held in 2025.

In addition to China and Taiwan, we also targeted the US, Italy, Germany and the Middle East (GCC). From the perspective of deepening the communication between tourists and local residents, we will disseminate sustainable tourism information related to the theme of the Expo and enhance the attraction to regional tourists.

First of all, in fiscal year 2023, we plan to implement promotional activities centered on hosting the World Expo, traveling to Japan, and creating opportunities to travel to Japan. In fiscal 2024-2025, we aim to promote Expo-related desire to visit Japan in Asian markets, Europe, the United States, Australia, and the Middle East, and to attract both Expo and local tourists.

PART 3 | MICE MARKETING STRATEGY OVERVIEW

We will also advance our MICE strategy in conjunction with our market strategy. MICE is the general term for business activities, which is composed of the four initials of “Meeting: conference/training”, “Incentive trip/tour: incentive travel”, “Convention: international conference/academic conference”, and “Event: activity”.

Among them, the MICE strategy in the inbound marketing strategy sets goals and basic policies based on the following two business events.

1. International Conference (Conference)
2. Incentive travel/tourism

Related article: What is MICE? After the epidemic, what impact and changes will it have on the tourism industry?

1. International conferences

For “International Conferences”, we are targeting international conferences that meet the standards of the ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association).

We will focus on conferences with a large number of people and a large number in ICCA data, expanding fields, and academic fields that KAKENHI is expanding.

The goal of the international conference marketing strategy is to establish Asia’s No. 1 international conference host country and enter the world’s top five by 2030.

By 2025, our goal is that the number of international conferences held in Japan will account for more than 30% of the total number of international conferences held by the five Asian countries.

2. Incentive travel

Incentive travel refers to incentive trips, training trips, etc. that enterprises invite excellent employees and customers to conduct.

Initiatives related to incentive travel will target overseas incentive travel agencies, meeting planners, incentive travel companies, etc.

The goal is to restore spending levels by foreigners traveling to Japan on incentive trips to pre-coronavirus levels.

Specifically, the policy is to provide new content in response to the post-epidemic, such as experiential programs that consider attractive team building and sustainability, as well as outdoor wellness.

Are you having difficulties with entry measures?
At “Visit Japan Lab”, consultants familiar with immigration affairs will answer inquiries about attracting inbound customers and reception facilities!

Consulting visit to the laboratory

<參考>

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO): Developing a New “Inbound Marketing Strategy”!

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO): Japan Inbound Marketing Strategy

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