On February 1, the European Tourism Commission (ETC) held its first media event in collaboration with European tourism authorities, presenting an overview of the ETC and its future plans, and featuring a panel discussion by representatives of the ETC Japan Chapter.
ETC has a history of more than 70 years as an organization founded in 1948 to promote long-distance markets outside of Europe. As the age of the organization indicates, it was set up for post-World War II reconstruction efforts.
Currently there are 36 member countries, with Turkey to be added in 2023, and the number of participating countries is said to be on the rise. The headquarters is located in Brussels, with branches in the United States, Canada, Brazil, China, Japan, and other countries.
The Japan Chapter was suspended for a period of time, but resumed its activities in the spring of 2021. Based on the five values of diversity, creativity, cohesiveness, inclusiveness, and cooperation, the chapter conducts research, marketing, and advocacy for the development of the tourism industry.
According to the ETC survey results, demand for travel to Europe in January 2024 increased 5% compared to the same period in 2023, with many respondents traveling alone or with a partner and expecting a stay of one to two weeks. The most popular destinations were France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy, in that order.
Although the willingness to travel in Japan is still weak compared to other countries, there are some positive signs, such as a 5% increase compared to 2023.
Conversely, in China, the 14% drop, perhaps due to the uncertain economic situation, is a cause for concern.
During the panel discussion, Frédéric Mazenck, Japan Representative of the French Tourism Development Agency, gave his views on the current situation in Japan.
He explained that while inbound from overseas has returned 80 to 90% compared to pre-Corona levels, the numbers are still weak with regard to outbound departures from Japan.
What comes up in discussions with industry participants is that there are not enough seats on planes and the yen is cheap against the euro. As flights over Russia are not available, flights to Europe are forced to take a major detour to the north or south, and the number of flights cannot be increased due to the increase in fuel costs and the shortage of pilots.
Inevitably, airline tickets have become more expensive, and “it is no exaggeration to say that they have doubled or tripled compared to pre-Corona times,” he said, explaining that economic reasons are the reason outbound travel is not growing.
In light of these factors, the company now intends to target its promotional activities to those who have relatively more money to spend.
Current trends in European travel were explained by Akira Nishiyama, Director of the Japan Branch of the German Tourist Office.
He noted that outbound travel figures are weak compared to other countries, but that the awareness survey shows a greater willingness to travel than in the previous year, and that he expects this to grow in the future.
He also noted that with the current high cost of travel, “there is a clear trend to stay longer and spend more at the destination,” explaining that extended-stay travel is a trend. He also added that in Europe, air travel is often cited as a way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, so if you are going to fly, staying longer is also a style that is consistent with sustainability efforts.
With regard to sustainability, he also touched on the issue of overtourism, including efforts to avoid concentration, such as regulating tourism, and promoting environmentally friendly rail travel.
Other specific examples in Austria were explained by Nicole Kirchmeyer, Director of the Austrian National Tourist Office in Japan.
Hallstatt, a popular photography spot, has been regulating the number of tourist buses for several years now, and has taken steps such as setting a minimum stay rule for day-trippers to prevent them from visiting only for short periods of time to take pictures.
In other cities, they are promoting ways to prevent overtourism, such as focusing on off-season activities and spots that are still unknown to the public.
He also introduced a new logo for the Austrian National Tourist Office’s Japan office, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary since its establishment.
In the latter half of the panel discussion, he introduced “gastronomy,” which appeals through food, as an effective promotion, as sustainability alone is not enough to attract people to the current relatively high cost of travel.
The European subcommittee of the Japan Outbound Trade Council (JOTC) has a bitter history of selecting the “100 Best of Europe” for gastronomy in 2019 and was about to conduct promotional activities when Corona hit the region. We also informed them of our intention to announce the 2024 edition.
© Source travel watch
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