http://www.tokyotomo.com/article Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:50:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 en hourly 1 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-hosts-symposium-commemorating-japan-mice-year-to-demonstrate-practical-expertise/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-hosts-symposium-commemorating-japan-mice-year-to-demonstrate-practical-expertise/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:25:13 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=4354 Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) hosted on July 14 a Symposium Commemorating Japan MICE Year in Osaka. It was one of the key programs incorporated into an action plan for the Japan MICE Year that started off in April 2010. Approximately 300 people attended the meeting from travel agencies, hotels, and local convention and visitors bureaus.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-hosts-symposium-commemorating-japan-mice-year-to-demonstrate-practical-expertise/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jata-makes-request-to-jta-on-14-items-including-accreditation-of-certified-travel-agencies-for-inbound-travel-handling/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jata-makes-request-to-jta-on-14-items-including-accreditation-of-certified-travel-agencies-for-inbound-travel-handling/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:20:46 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=4220 The Inbound Travel Committee at Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) on June 22 submitted a paper to International Tourism Division of Japan Tourism Agency (JTA). In the paper, JATA requested to institutionalize travel agency registration system whereby JTA gives approval to eligible travel agencies for inbound travel handling. The aim of the registration system is to regulate the fair trade of the agencies concerned and to ensure travel quality so that inbound travel market is further developed as it should be.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jata-makes-request-to-jta-on-14-items-including-accreditation-of-certified-travel-agencies-for-inbound-travel-handling/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-commissioner-mizohata-sticks-to-target-to-achieve-10-million-visitor-arrivals-in-2010/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-commissioner-mizohata-sticks-to-target-to-achieve-10-million-visitor-arrivals-in-2010/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:04:32 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=4209 Speaking at a regular media briefing held on June 29, Hiroshi Mizohata, Commissioner of (JTA) emphasized that he would by all means stick to the target of 10 million visitor arrivals set forth in the Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan. The cumulative number of visitor arrivals until the month of May rose by 32.0 percent year-on-year to 3,524,900, exceeding the level seen in 2007 and returning nearly to the level of 2008. Mizohata also told the media briefing that while the latter half of the year 2008 suffered from the Lehman Shock, this year would see relaxation of individual tourist visa requirements imposed on Chinese nationals and the drastically intensified tourism promotion is set to be launched in four major travel markets which are China, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-commissioner-mizohata-sticks-to-target-to-achieve-10-million-visitor-arrivals-in-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/sports-tourism-promotion-committee-studies-specific-problems-and-measures-ahead-of-substantiative-experiments/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/sports-tourism-promotion-committee-studies-specific-problems-and-measures-ahead-of-substantiative-experiments/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:51:48 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=4200 The second meeting of Sports Tourism Promotion Committee – an organization initiated by Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) and joined by members from related ministries, agencies, and institutions – took place on June 25 in a bid to conceive business models for promoting sports tourism. There are four working teams set up, each with a respective task of “planning of sports tours,” “improvement of ticketing procedures,” “internationalization of sport events and promotion of international exchange,” and “sports arenas modernization and community renovation.”]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/sports-tourism-promotion-committee-studies-specific-problems-and-measures-ahead-of-substantiative-experiments/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/trade-organization-calls-attention-to-three-agenda-to-address-in-promoting-growth-of-chinese-travelers-to-japan/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/trade-organization-calls-attention-to-three-agenda-to-address-in-promoting-growth-of-chinese-travelers-to-japan/#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:32:05 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=4046 Japan Council of Travel Agents for Chinese Visitors made it clear that it is going to address three issues in order to achieve its objectives. Michinori Yamasaki, Executive Officer Group Headquarters, Global Business Unit at JTB Corp., who was appointed to new chairman of the Council at its 11th general meeting, expressed his resolve in this way. The issues are manifested in its FY2010 action plan and are to be tackled by the Council in cooperation with Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) and other related organizations.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/trade-organization-calls-attention-to-three-agenda-to-address-in-promoting-growth-of-chinese-travelers-to-japan/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jnto-envisions-10-million-inbound-travelers-mainly-from-east-asia-in-its-action-plan-for-fy2010/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jnto-envisions-10-million-inbound-travelers-mainly-from-east-asia-in-its-action-plan-for-fy2010/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 10:13:25 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=3864 (JNTO) made public its plan to achieve 10 million foreign visitors to Japan in the recently released action plan for the fiscal 2010. In view of the FY2010 being the final year of the Visit Japan Campaign (VJC) project and at the same time the starting year in the first phase for the next goal of 30 million foreign visitors project, Tadatoshi Mamiya, JNTO chairman, said, “This year becomes a milestone for the growth of foreign visitors to our country. We will exert ourselves for the cause of inbound travel promotion.” The immediate goal for this year in the framework of 30-million-visitor project, at the threshold of the first phase of the project, is to achieve 10 million mainly from Japan’s major markets in East Asia such as China, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jnto-envisions-10-million-inbound-travelers-mainly-from-east-asia-in-its-action-plan-for-fy2010/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/%e2%80%9cjapan-mice-year%e2%80%9d-kicks-in-skill-training-programs-get-started-to-cultivate-human-resources/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/%e2%80%9cjapan-mice-year%e2%80%9d-kicks-in-skill-training-programs-get-started-to-cultivate-human-resources/#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 10:35:34 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=3811 Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) has set the “Japan MICE Year” going in full swing from April. This special year was conceived along with the MICE Action Plan drawn up last July in the framework of “30 Million Foreign Visitors Project.” With the start of a new fiscal year in April, numerous programs and events are scheduled in line with the JTA’s MICE promotion initiative.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/%e2%80%9cjapan-mice-year%e2%80%9d-kicks-in-skill-training-programs-get-started-to-cultivate-human-resources/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jnto-advised-in-budgetary-review-to-pass-back-its-inbound-travel-promotion-to-government-agency-to-scrap-tourist-information-centers/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jnto-advised-in-budgetary-review-to-pass-back-its-inbound-travel-promotion-to-government-agency-to-scrap-tourist-information-centers/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 08:25:47 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=3782 The Government Revitalization Unit of the Hatoyama Cabinet assessed on April 28 the undertakings of Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) as part of the budgetary screening program. With regard to JNTO’s initiative for foreign tourist solicitation – including overseas website advertisements, invitation programs, and assistance in creating Japan-bound tours — it concluded such tasks should be undertaken by the government agency in accordance with a specific roadmap or be entrusted to private sectors as the case may be. As to its foreign visitor reception facilities like the tourist information centers (TIC), the Revitalization Unit ruled to put an end to JNTO’s direct involvement.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jnto-advised-in-budgetary-review-to-pass-back-its-inbound-travel-promotion-to-government-agency-to-scrap-tourist-information-centers/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jata-proposes-institutional-improvements-for-inbound-travel-sets-up-working-group-to-address-relevant-issues/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jata-proposes-institutional-improvements-for-inbound-travel-sets-up-working-group-to-address-relevant-issues/#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:06:57 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=3457 In a move to offer safe and secure travel to foreign visitors to Japan, the Inbound Travel Committee at Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) has decided to set up in coming April a subcommittee for project implementation and a subordinate team aiming for systemic reforms. The objective is to establish new regulations and modify related legislation. There has been no specific regulations and law enforcement applicable to inbound tour operators up to now; consequently, problems arose because unlicensed agents or individuals took care of travel arrangements or unauthorized tour guides took up the job.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jata-proposes-institutional-improvements-for-inbound-travel-sets-up-working-group-to-address-relevant-issues/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-proposes-dispersal-of-spring-vacation-regionally-to-ease-congestion-autumn-vacation-under-consideration/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-proposes-dispersal-of-spring-vacation-regionally-to-ease-congestion-autumn-vacation-under-consideration/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:55:14 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=3397 At the regular press meeting on February 26, Hiroshi Mizohata, Commissioner of Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), spoke about a plan to slide the spring vacation period into several chunks of holidays according to the geographical division of the country. He is going to propose the plan on March 3 to the second meeting of the working team on vacation dispersal. JTA’s idea is to reallocate the three consecutive national holidays in May to some appropriate time of the season, region by region, and make five-day vacation by combining the weekend, without changing the total number of national holidays of the year.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/jta-proposes-dispersal-of-spring-vacation-regionally-to-ease-congestion-autumn-vacation-under-consideration/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/inbound-travel-working-team-to-make-detailed-plan-by-march-including-visa-issue-for-chinese-tourists/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/inbound-travel-working-team-to-make-detailed-plan-by-march-including-visa-issue-for-chinese-tourists/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:32:49 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=3182 The working team at Tourism Nation Promotion Headquarters held the second meeting on February 5 to discuss measures to alleviate the restrictions on tourist visa to Japan as part of the Chinese tourist solicitation program. At the meeting, Yuji Fujimoto, Parliamentary Secretary for Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, who also serves as Secretary General of the Headquarters, made a report of the ASEAN + 3 Tourism Ministers Meeting held in January at which he himself attended.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/inbound-travel-working-team-to-make-detailed-plan-by-march-including-visa-issue-for-chinese-tourists/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/new-jta-commissioner-mizohata-pledges-to-take-any-action-to-achieve-10-million-inbound-travelers-visa-restriction-on-chinese-individuals-likely-alleviated-before-summer/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/new-jta-commissioner-mizohata-pledges-to-take-any-action-to-achieve-10-million-inbound-travelers-visa-restriction-on-chinese-individuals-likely-alleviated-before-summer/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:00:57 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=3120 Hiroshi Mizohata, Commissioner of Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), expressed his resolve at the regular press meeting on January 27 to take any action necessary to achieve the goal of 10 million foreign visitors to Japan in 2010. The year 2009 ended with 6.79 million visitors, down 19 percent from the year earlier, so it needs a 47 percent boost in order to attain 10 million in 2010 as outlined in the Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan. He remarked, “It is numerically a hefty aim, but I do not think it infeasible as we have made a fresh start.” As means of fulfilling the objective, he unveiled his plan to conduct an aggressive promotion at four staple markets of Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hon Kong.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/new-jta-commissioner-mizohata-pledges-to-take-any-action-to-achieve-10-million-inbound-travelers-visa-restriction-on-chinese-individuals-likely-alleviated-before-summer/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/tourism-budget-doubles-to-12-6-billion-yen-for-fy2010-fund-for-inbound-travel-triples-and-infrastructure-building-quintuples/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/tourism-budget-doubles-to-12-6-billion-yen-for-fy2010-fund-for-inbound-travel-triples-and-infrastructure-building-quintuples/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:01:02 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=3050 In the government budget framework for the fiscal year 2010, Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) could get 12,652 million yen for its allocation, 2.02 times this year’s budget, according to JTA. The initial request as of November 2009 was 25,140 million yen, 4.02 times the current budget. The amounts of funds appropriated to the principal items are as follows: 9,477 million yen for the first phase program of the 30 million foreign visitor project (vs. 3,191 million yen for this year, 2.97 times), 643 million yen for tourism-based regional development and revitalization plan (vs. 625 million yen, 1.03 times), 28 million yen for preparations for implementing work-life balance (vs. 57 million yen, 0.49 time), and 330 million yen for extensive surveys for tourism statistics (vs. 116 million yen, 2.83 times).]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/tourism-budget-doubles-to-12-6-billion-yen-for-fy2010-fund-for-inbound-travel-triples-and-infrastructure-building-quintuples/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/new-jta-commissioner-mizohata-%e2%80%9cstrives-to-become-one-of-world%e2%80%99s-powerful-tourism-oriented-nations%e2%80%9d-aiming-to-achieve-10-million-visitor-arrivals-earliest-during-his-term-of-of/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/new-jta-commissioner-mizohata-%e2%80%9cstrives-to-become-one-of-world%e2%80%99s-powerful-tourism-oriented-nations%e2%80%9d-aiming-to-achieve-10-million-visitor-arrivals-earliest-during-his-term-of-of/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:36:48 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=2874 Hiroshi Mizohata was appointed Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), as of January 4. He told the press interview which immediately followed that “25 Million Visitor Arrivals in 2019” is not simply a target set, but it is the figure that must be realized by all means. The new Commissioner also challenged that in order to buildup a world’s powerful tourism-oriented nation, Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) is going to focus on tourism as an energy source and an engine to revitalize Japan.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/new-jta-commissioner-mizohata-%e2%80%9cstrives-to-become-one-of-world%e2%80%99s-powerful-tourism-oriented-nations%e2%80%9d-aiming-to-achieve-10-million-visitor-arrivals-earliest-during-his-term-of-of/feed/ 0 http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/japan-tourism-agency-launches-mice-promotion-council-jata-requests-relaxation-of-rules-for-use-of-public-facilities/ http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/japan-tourism-agency-launches-mice-promotion-council-jata-requests-relaxation-of-rules-for-use-of-public-facilities/#comments Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:54:31 +0000 Travel Vision http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/?p=2816 Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) held its first “MICE Promotion Council” on December 17. Until now, Japan addressed mainly to attract and host international congresses in Japan. In fact, Japan lags behind many of its rival countries who promote every field of MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Congress and Event) as a national interest. Therefore, the Japanese Government meanwhile decided to set up a policy of promoting MICE as a whole, targeting the year 2010 as the “Japan MICE Year (JMY).” The MICE Promotion Council will be held regularly as part of a strategy for the MICE promotion.]]> http://www.tokyotomo.com/article/en/japan-tourism-agency-launches-mice-promotion-council-jata-requests-relaxation-of-rules-for-use-of-public-facilities/feed/ 0