In the serene heart of Japan, where tradition meets nature’s beauty, we unveil a remarkable opportunity that celebrates the artistry of kintsugi and urushi lacquer forestry. After a year of dedicated effort and collaboration with the rural town of Daigo, we announce our first annual Japan travel experience workshop: Experience Urushi Forestry + Kintsugi, scheduled […]

Hailing from Tokyo, Takako Sakai has an extensive background in tourism-related roles, having previously worked with Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Hawaii Tourism Japan and Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB). Currently serving as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (2022, Feb 16th ~ 2024, Feb 15th), Sakai contributes to Zlatibor Tourism Organization, a mountain resort […]

Yusuke Sugimura, a native of Tokyo, Japan, has dedicated five and a half years of his professional career to fostering tourism and supporting local economies. Working as a municipal employee in the Industrial Promotion Division of Chofu City Office in Tokyo, Sugimura spearheaded projects related to tourism promotion and regional economic development. Sugimura’s current mission […]

The Ulu Ai Tourism Project in Sarawak, Malaysia is a sustainable partnership between tour operator Borneo Adventure and local Iban communities in Sarawak, Malaysia. The project has developed a long-term relationship between hosts and visitors, whereby visitors experience the local community lifestyle on the host’s terms. Started in 1987, tours to Ulu Ai focus on […]

Red Rocks Initiative for Sustainable Development is a non-profit organization based in Musanze, Rwanda, dedicated to fostering positive change and sustainable development within local communities. We are seeking donors, sponsors, and grants to enhance our facilities and expand our impactful programs, including Balister coffee skills training, bakery skills and sugarcane juice making, culinary art programs […]

In 2019, Shirakawa Village was visited by about 2.15 million tourists who came to see its group of traditional houses built in the gassho style (with steep thatched roofs) that are inscribed on the World Heritage list. However, these visits are concentrated in certain districts and time periods and lead to problems in the aspects […]

Minamichita Town is a tourism destination that attracts 2.5 million visitors annually, especially during the summer season. This town is working to solve the local issues of beach beautification, food loss, and traditional food culture on the Utsumi Coast. The activity guideline for local volunteers and others was simple: Pick up visible litter on a […]

Kyoto, where TOURISTSHIP is based, is visited by large numbers of people every year. Some of its residents felt animosity toward visitors, causing conflict between them. When we started interviewing local residents to find out what they thought about visitors, results implied that both sides needed to get closer and be more open to treat […]

Kudaka Island in Okinawa Prefecture, an island with a population of only 200 people, was experiencing a variety of problems due to the approximately 60,000 tourists who visit the island annually. In addition, as more and more young people wanted to return to the island, the lack of jobs and housing on the island was […]

In the Fifth Okinawa Basic Plan for Tourism Promotion, formulated in FY2012 , Okinawa Prefecture positioned its future vision for FY2021 as “a world-class tourist resort destination” and established the “Okinawa Tourism Outcome Indicators” with 40 criteria in five areas, including economy, tourists, prefectural residents, environment, and management. In addition, the Sixth Okinawa Basic Plan […]