SIDS are committed to increasing resilience by revitalizing and diversifying their economies, notably through a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable tourism model. The UN has acknowledged tourism’s potential to contribute to sustainable development, by declaring 2027 the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism (A/RES/78/260). Despite the recognition, tourism remains underrepresented in international financing for […]

Located in the center of Kyoto Prefecture, Miyama Town has a population of approximately 3,500 people and an area of 340 km2. The town has been designated by the Japanese government as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. 39 thatched-roof houses still remain in Miyama’s northern hamlets, attracting tourists both domestic and international […]

Kuroshima-cho, Sasebo City, saw an increase in the number of tourists after Villages on Kuroshima Island was inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage site as one of the component properties of Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region. However, there is a lack of infrastructure such as public restrooms and transportation on the island. As […]

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 […]

Niseko Town has been featured in the media as a leading snow resort destination for inbound tourism, and the number of visitors from overseas has increased year annually. In fact, in fiscal year 2018 , overseas visitors accounted for approximately 40% of the total number of overnight stays in Niseko. However, the global outbreak of […]

Kyoto City received many tourists from Japan and abroad as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations. However, around 2014, overtourism and tourist etiquette became apparent problems. In addition, a shortage of cultural leaders, the decline of local communities and other issues were also on the rise. In 2021, the Kyoto Tourism Promotion Plan 2025 […]