year | field

Research study on a desirable sustainable tourism policy �U（Report No.150）

Summary

In recent years, a negative impact of visit enjoyed by a large number of tourists or its rapid increase on local communities has been recognized globally. Even in Japan, some areas have become aware of similar impact with a rapidly growing number of tourists including foreign visitors. This research has been conducted for two years since FY2017 with the aim of contributing to considering a possible sustainable tourism policy by means of surveying current cases related to over tourism and measures to deal with the issues in tourism-advanced areas in Japan and abroad. Firstly in FY2017, we conducted a research by organizing viewpoints of sustainable tourism proposed in international organizations as well as in some overseas countries. Based on those viewpoints, we pointed out items which possibly lack sufficient treatment in some problematic cases we recognized in Japan. Along with the results obtained from the research in FY2017, in FY2018, we conducted a questionnaire survey over 46 municipalities and an on-site survey at four local areas in Japan. In addition, considering issues in Japan, we surveyed some overseas tourism destinations. Lastly, based on those two kinds of survey, we compiled possible problems which are likely to be experienced in tourist destinations in Japan as well as relevant policies/measures to avoid the problems.

Keywords

tourism, inbound, foreigners visiting Japan, sustainable tourism, indicators

Publication

Jul 2019

Report