The implementation of national travel assistance has brought renewed attention to domestic travel.
JAL, which has bases throughout Japan, has been continuously implementing regional revitalization initiatives (currently the “JAL Furusato Project”). In August 2020, flight attendants selected through an internal application process moved to the area and launched the “JAL Furusato Ambassadors” to promote regional initiatives, and in In December of the same year, JAL appointed “JAL hometown supporters,” who are involved in regional revitalization while serving on board. The aim is to develop products and solve regional issues for hometowns and other regions with which they have connections, utilizing the knowledge they have accumulated as flight attendants.
We spoke with Miho Yoshida, a JAL Furusato Ambassador who is involved in attracting inbound visitors to Miyazaki City.
–What can you tell us about your initiatives?
Miyazaki Prefecture is located in the Hinata region of Japan. Miyazaki City, which is also the gateway to Japan, is a city full of charm and hinata (the Japanese Hinata). In order to promote Miyazaki City to the rest of Japan and the world, JAL would like to introduce the charms of Miyazaki City, including spots and traditional culture that are not yet well known throughout the country. This project was planned with this in mind.
In addition, two “JAL Hometown Ambassadors GLOBAL,” newly established to promote the charms of Japan to the world, were invited to participate in PR by actually experiencing the charms of Miyazaki City.
*The “JAL Furusato Ambassador GLOBAL” was established with the aim of attracting inbound travelers to various parts of Japan and to communicate the attractiveness of the region to the rest of the world. Currently, two members from Bangkok AB and Taipei AB are assigned to Japan!
–What are the highlights of this initiative?
On the first day, the participants had a variety of experiences with local people in Tano Town, and on the second day, they experienced the traditional festival “Aoshima Naked Mairi” and prayers at Aoshima Shrine.
The contact with the local people in Tano Town seemed to be a fresh and precious time for both of them, and they also made many discoveries through many first-time experiences.
The “Aoshima Naked Mairi” seemed to have a strong impact on them, and they were very impressed. They said they would like to promote this unique Japanese cultural experience as it is very popular among foreign visitors to Japan.
This time, we were able to promote spots and traditional culture in Miyazaki that we have never featured before, and I realized once again that there are still great treasures in the region, and that it is our role as JAL hometown ambassadors to uncover these treasures.
I hope to continue my search for treasures as I actually experience the region’s charms!
–What are your future plans and prospects?
The reason for implementing this project was to gather information in preparation for the upcoming inbound tourism. For this reason, we asked the two to participate as “monitors” from the perspective of foreign tourists visiting Japan, and will report back to the people of Miyazaki City with a summary of what they have noticed.
They are also planning to share the charms of Miyazaki City with the world in their own words through SNS and other means. We will make use of their valuable opinions and continue to focus on attracting more inbound visitors to Miyazaki City.
–What is your message to travelers?
Miyazaki City is a tourist city with many tourist resources, but what we would like you to experience is the “slow flow of time and its temperature. When conversing with the locals, you will feel a gentle warmth and sense of security that will make you want to say, “I’m home! You will definitely be enveloped by the gentle warmth and sense of security that makes you want to say, “I’m back! Nature, food, and sightseeing! Please visit my hometown, Miyazaki City, where everything is so attractive!
I’ll be in Miyazaki!
© Source travel watch
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