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Japan All the time Serves As An Enticing Conferences and Occasion Vacation spot for United States Occasion Planners
Monday, September 23, 2024
Japan’s Conferences, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) trade is a key sector in its tourism and enterprise panorama. Recognized for its superior infrastructure, world-class venues, and robust governmental assist, Japan is a number one vacation spot for worldwide occasions. Cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto are in style hubs, providing fashionable amenities and wealthy cultural experiences. The trade has seen regular progress, with sustainability and innovation being central to its growth. Japan goals to place itself as a first-rate MICE vacation spot, attracting high-profile conferences and occasions throughout varied sectors, together with expertise, healthcare, and finance.
Lewis Ream, Conference Specialist at Japan Nationwide Tourism Group, shared with Journey And Tour World that Japan’s MICE sector is specializing in sustainability, progressive occasion applied sciences, and creating extra immersive cultural experiences to draw worldwide enterprise occasions, making certain the nation’s aggressive edge within the world MICE trade.
What are the important thing elements that make Japan a lovely vacation spot for MICE tourism, notably for delegates from the USA?
Certainly one of Japan’s fundamental strengths is its actually one-of-a-kind tradition, combining an extremely wealthy historical past and preservation of age-old traditions with cutting-edge innovation and fashionable, environment friendly infrastructure.
Japan has at all times been a preferred vacation spot for U.S. vacationers, however notably within the final yr, U.S. tourism to Japan has exploded, with over 2 million vacationers in 2023 from the U.S., setting a brand new document with a 18.3% improve from 2019 and marking a full rebound after the COVID-19 pandemic. To comply with up on this rise in vacationers, the Japanese and U.S. governments have designated 2024 the U.S.-Japan Tourism Yr, which signifies that each governments shall be making an lively effort to strengthen two-way tourism between the 2 international locations.
In consequence, we imagine it’s the right time for occasion planners to reap the benefits of this increase in recognition and host their occasions in Japan in an effort to maximize curiosity from delegates. As a result of weak yen, the U.S. greenback is presently very highly effective in Japan, that means that Japan is now additionally extra reasonably priced than it has ever been for U.S. delegates.
How does Japan’s enterprise occasion infrastructure evaluate to different main world MICE locations, and what distinctive benefits does it supply?
One distinctive power of Japan with regard to MICE is its numerous breadth of choices for host cities. Japan has 12 cities which were designated by the Japanese authorities as World MICE Cities, which signifies that every of those cities has its personal conference bureau, in addition to conference facilities and resort properties with the potential of holding massive occasions. A few of these conference facilities, together with Tokyo Worldwide Discussion board and PACIFICO Yokohama, are among the many most notable on the earth.
All 12 of the World MICE Cities have their very own native cultures and regional cuisines, and even in lots of circumstances very totally different climates, so occasion delegates can have a totally new expertise and make new discoveries every time they go to.
Japan’s power in infrastructure additionally manifests itself in its famously environment friendly transportation system, most notably its shinkansen, with its high-speed rail community. With the shinkansen, it’s attainable to traverse rapidly and comfortably between all of Japan’s main cities, making it attainable to carry an incentive journey or pre or put up convention journey that spans a number of locations.
What are the preferred cities in Japan for internet hosting incentive journeys, and what distinctive experiences do they provide for company delegates?
Japan has many cities appropriate for incentive journeys, so in lots of circumstances, it’s depending on the preferences and desires of the particular group.
Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture off the coast of Japan and Japan’s most iconic seaside vacation spot, may be very in style resulting from its tropical local weather and distinctive tradition. In contrast to most different prefectures, Okinawa was initially an impartial kingdom earlier than being integrated into Japan, so there are nonetheless many traces of the indigenous Ryukyu tradition blended in with mainland Japanese tradition, together with components of American tradition introduced in from navy bases established after World Conflict 2, and features of China and different Asian international locations resulting from their proximity. On this sense, it’s actually a melting pot, having shaped a tradition that’s uniquely its personal.
Hokkaido, the northernmost area in Japan, is one other very fashionable vacation spot for incentive journey, largely resulting from its lovely sights, in addition to its famend seafood and native tradition. In distinction to Okinawa, it has a really chilly local weather, and is understood for its lovely powder snow within the winter. Hokkaido has a lot of Japan’s most famed ski resorts, particularly within the space across the city of Niseko, making it a preferred spot for delegates interested by winter sports activities or journey actions.
Sapporo, the most important city within the Hokkaido area, is one among Japan’s 12 World MICE Cities. As one among Japan’s most populous and most exceptional cities, Sapporo has nice accommodations and amenities able to internet hosting massive teams. It’s also identified for its incredible meals tradition, from scrumptious recent seafood solely discovered within the north of Japan to its well-known miso-based ramen and beer.
Kanazawa, within the Ishikawa prefecture in central Japan, is a metropolis that we imagine represents many emblematic components of Japan that make it an distinctive alternative for incentive journey. It’s well-known for being an emblem of “old Japan,” with historic areas and points of interest that preserve a feudal Japan architectural aesthetic and really feel, corresponding to Kenrokuen Backyard, Kanazawa Fort, and the Nagamachi samurai district.
On the identical time, Kanazawa can also be identified for extra up to date points of interest that spotlight its significance as an inventive middle, with museums just like the twenty first Century Museum of Modern Artwork. On this method, Kanazawa demonstrates the very best of each Japan’s previous and its current and future, and is a good alternative for individuals who desire a metropolis that feels distinctly Japanese.
As you’ll be able to see by way of these examples, Japan presents a various vary of choices for incentive journey relying on the aim of the journey, be it tradition, historical past, nature, or distinctive experiences.
How has Japan’s MICE tourism sector tailored to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and what security measures and now in place for worldwide delegates?
In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many deliberate worldwide conferences have been both canceled, postponed, or held completely on-line. Nonetheless, face-to-face conferences have been nonetheless thought-about the very best format to advertise participant interplay, networking, and in-depth discussions on analysis matters, that are vital features of worldwide conferences. In consequence, many conferences have been held in a hybrid format fairly than solely on-line.
Moreover, through the pandemic, pointers for holding protected and safe MICE occasions have been formulated beneath the supervision of specialists. These pointers detailed particular measures to scale back an infection dangers, together with implementing an infection management measures in accordance with pointers, in addition to avoiding massive gatherings by not holding welcome events or gala dinners.
As a substitute of merely imposing restrictions on individuals resulting from an infection management measures, varied efforts have been made to offer most “omotenashi”, or hospitality. For instance, as an alternative of events, individuals have been supplied with luxurious bento- lunch boxes- and quite a lot of souvenirs corresponding to sake and conventional Japanese sweets. Out of doors areas have been ready for individuals to work together with out crowding, and there have been performances corresponding to out of doors taiko drumming and luxurious fireworks shows.
Presently, JNTO is providing Customer Data and Japan Secure Journey Data on our web site and gives them to the host.
Whereas some conferences are actually held in a hybrid format, face-to-face conferences have develop into the norm once more. For instance, the Worldwide Convention on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), held in Yokohama this previous Could, set a brand new document with almost 7,000 individuals, surpassing preliminary expectations.
What function do cultural experiences and conventional Japanese hospitality play in enhancing the attraction of Japan as a MICE vacation spot for US-based firms?
As a result of we discover that Japan’s distinctive tradition is one among its greatest attracts for occasion delegates, we’ve got no scarcity of culturally immersive unique experiences out there that permit attendees to find out about and perceive Japanese traditions in an entertaining method.
One key strategy to incorporate Japanese custom into an occasion is thru using distinctive venues. Japan has many temples and shrines that can be utilized as occasion areas, with beautiful structure and nice historic significance. Different venues embody conventional Japanese pleasure boats, high-tech mild reveals, and ryokans, which confer with conventional Japanese inns, typically occasions with scorching spring baths. All of those distinctive venues spotlight vital features of Japan’s tradition and permit for delegates to really feel like they’re having an genuine cultural expertise.
Some widespread distinctive actions for group constructing embody academic experiences, from classes on the way to correctly conduct a tea ceremony, to sushi making lessons, to arts and crafts classes like lacquer portray or basketweaving. Japan additionally has many cultural performances out there for conferences, together with kabuki theater exhibits, a standard type of leisure that mixes story with dance, or taiko drumming, a musical efficiency type.
Japan’s well-known hospitality is definitely a profit to internet hosting an occasion in Japan. Japan is understood for its respect and attentiveness, emphasizing the significance of omotenashi, or welcoming hospitality, which comes throughout within the prime quality of service seen in eating places and accommodations. Omotenashi may be very obvious in Japan’s MICE trade, the place occasions are carried out with clean, high-quality execution, which we’ve got acquired plenty of optimistic suggestions on from previous occasions. We imagine that omotenashi is simply one other issue that makes Japan’s tradition so distinctive and enticing.
Are you able to present examples of profitable incentive journeys or enterprise occasions held in Japan for American delegates highlighting the important thing components that contributed to their success?
One notable occasion that was held in Could of this yr was the 2024 IEEE Worldwide Convention on Robotics and Automation, or ICRA 2024. For this specific worldwide occasion, American delegates made up the most important proportion of attendees, with 1,406 American individuals within the virtually 7,000 complete, adopted up by Japan with 1,395 individuals and China with 1,136. America additionally boasted the most important variety of accepted papers, with 570 of the 1,760 complete papers submitted by American individuals.
ICRA has been the main worldwide convention within the discipline of robotics and automation since its inception in 1984, with its annual convention as its flagship occasion. The theme of this yr’s convention was “CONNECT+”, representing a need to construct relationships and a collaborative spirit by way of tech. This performed a component in Yokohama’s choice because the host metropolis, as a result of as a big port metropolis and residential to the primary port to obtain western merchants, Yokohama has served in some ways as Japan’s reference to the world, simply as ICRA 2024 goals to be the robotics discipline’s connection to different industries.
The occasion encompassed all kinds of keynote talks, lectures, workshops, and boards beneath the CONNECT+ theme, together with robotic reveals by company companions and occasions that allowed attendees to expertise components of Japanese tradition, corresponding to calligraphy, conventional tea ceremonies, and kendama. Notably, a transferring life-size statue depicting a Gundam- a robotic from the eponymous Japanese science fiction anime franchise with an enormous world cultural impact- was one of many occasion’s hottest options, representing Japan’s influence each in in style tradition and the sector of robotics and engineering with its cutting-edge expertise and imaginative and prescient.
As a dynamic metropolis and residential to PACIFICO Yokohama, one among Japan’s biggest conference facilities, together with nice facilities and purchasing facilities, Yokohama is steadily establishing itself as one among Japan’s premier convention locations.
What are the long run traits and developments in Japan’s MICE tourism sector, and the way are they anticipated to influence the demand from US-based company teams and delegates?
One main growth that can proceed to affect Japan’s MICE initiatives is sustainability, and the motivation to work towards fulfilling the UN’s Sustainable Improvement Targets, or SDGs. Sustainability has at all times been integral to Japan’s tradition, with values like waste discount and native manufacturing of products being key components of Japanese custom. JNTO has lately printed a webpage on the MICE web site, discovered at japanmeetings.org, in addition to a digital brochure, highlighting a few of Japan’s fundamental strengths in sustainability and introducing a few of Japan’s main sustainability tasks within the MICE trade in quite a lot of cities.
There are various incentive journey contents being developed, which may also be discovered on JNTO’s MICE web site. These actions vary from conventional actions like Zazen meditation beneath the steering of monks at Enryakuji Temple, a historic temple on Shiga’s Mt. Hiei, which is supposed to prioritize rest and peace, to journey actions like mountaineering on Sakurajima, an lively volcano within the Kagoshima prefecture, which showcases lovely views and permits individuals to find out about and discover southern Japan’s distinctive volcanoes.
Many of those experiences even have sustainability in thoughts, such because the tree-planting program for coral safety and progress on Ishigaki Island within the Okinawa prefecture, the place individuals can benefit from the lovely Okinawa land whereas conducting actions that make a concrete influence on the character of the island.
This web page is up to date typically, so checking the positioning for brand spanking new experiences and concepts is at all times a good suggestion when looking for what’s new in Japan.
In 2025, the World Expo shall be held in Osaka, so we’re trying ahead to large-scale world occasions like this bringing a larger degree of vacation spot consciousness and MICE enterprise to Japan.
There are additionally many new resort openings and new large-scale venues in Japan, reflecting rising inbound tourism demand for Japan and anticipation for the upcoming Expo. Many of those new accommodations are new luxurious properties, together with the Six Senses Kyoto, which lately opened in April 2024, in addition to the 4 Seasons Lodge Osaka, which simply opened in August 2024, and the upcoming JW Marriott Lodge Tokyo, set to open in 2025.
In 2025, the Takanawa Gateway Conference Middle is about to open in Tokyo, and can develop into one among Tokyo’s most state-of-the-art conference areas, providing multipurpose halls with capability of as much as 2,000 folks. The conference middle shall be a part of Takanawa Gateway Metropolis, East Japan Railway’s City growth challenge that features the newly opened technologically superior Takanawa Gateway Station and an indoor park. Sustainability is a key aspect of the mission behind the challenge and the brand new conference middle.
With tasks like this that use progressive considering to push Japan’s MICE trade additional right into a extra sustainable future, Japan is among the many international locations on the forefront to push the trade to see brighter- and greener- days.
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