[Overseas Expansion Case Collection vol.2] Local reactions are the greatest harvest! Exhibited at Japan Expo Paris that got a lot of insight (Kyushu Economic Federation, Mr. Chiken Shigeyoshi)

“Overseas Expansion Case Collection” vol.2 released!

The “Overseas Expansion Case Collection” series interviews people who have exhibited at events managed by Japan Promotion so far, and listens to valuable stories about reactions from countries around the world that they have actually witnessed and their subsequent activities.

The person I heard about in this section, which is the second time in the seriesKyushu Economic Federation Planning and Research DivisionofMr. Chiken Shigeyoshi. We asked in detail about the real reactions of fans that they felt at overseas sites and how to make use of them in subsequent activities.

≪Click here for past articles≫
●vol.1 “Succeed in attracting tourists with a PR strategy that combines local characters and SNS! (Mr. Toshiaki Arisawa, Genki Creation Division, Susaki City)”

≪About current activities≫

Utilize local reactions in PR video production and tourist attraction

2019 was a busy day of PR activities to coincide with large-scale international sporting events such as the Rugby World Cup (hereinafter RWC) and the Women's Handball World Championship. Kyushu came together, and the “Kyushu Regional Strategy Meeting” was established for the purpose of attracting tourists and revitalizing local industriesWhat was exhibited as an overseas expansion for the first timeJapan Expo Paris 2018. For Kyushu, where there are many tourists from the Asian region, the RWC bid is a unique opportunity to increase the number of tourists from Europe, Europe, and the United States. Obtained from exhibiting at Japan Expo ParisLocal reactions and sensationsgave me a number of insights to more effectively convey the appeal of Kyushu. In particular, PR videos for tourist spots that were popular at the exhibition boothAppointment of influencers who have been connected locallyIt has evolved greatly by enhancing content and. In addition to this, around the same time as RWC, Kumamoto City is proceeding with efforts to sell the appeal of Kyushu from multiple angles, such as holding an event “Matsuri Island Kyushu,” where you can enjoy festivals from all over Kyushu at the same time as RWC, and a tourism product exhibition at the same opening.

≪Advice/Future Goals≫

Devise a focused strategy that is particular about how to attract

Language problems are unavoidable in France. Ensure sufficient quality interpreters,An environment where you can communicate without stressGetting it ready is very important. Also, when exhibiting at a booth, I think it's important to stick to how to appeal, such as using lots of photos as wall decorations to create eye-catching visuals, and aligning colors to create a sense of unity.
Also, while PR using local characters is catchy and glamorous, it requires considerable costs and personnel. This time we are popular in FranceKumamonSince the cast was narrowed down to one,High PR effectiveness while keeping costs downI think I was able to get it.
Going forward, we will continue to carry out tourism PR with the aim of raising the level of tourist attraction in Kyushu as a whole. The number of famous places and historic sites newly registered as World Heritage sites in Kyushu has increased, so I would like to more actively promote proposals for excursion trips and eco-tours to enjoy the rich nature of Amami Oshima and Yakushima. There are still places that are difficult to get to in terms of traffic, so improving infrastructure is an issue for the future.

≪Know-how for success≫

[Before exhibiting]
‍● Each prefecture in Kyushu is developing tourist attraction and PR activities for inbound tourists.
↓
[Support and ingenuity]
● It was my first attempt at exhibiting in Kyushu as a whole, so the first thing I thought was to grasp the local atmosphere and gain experience.
● Japan Expo Paris - Japan Expo - has a youth-centered customer base and the image of pop art is strong, and since they were uneasy about whether traditional crafts and tourism PR would be received, emphasis was placed on sampling sweets and tourist pamphlets, directly interacting with customers, and watching their reactions carefully.
● If you use photos of tourist attractions to decorate the booth wall according to the advice of the Japan Promotion Staff, it will have a reputation for being beautiful. We were able to stand out among the many booths, and we were able to do effective PR to attract tourists.
★ Point ★
Since the main purpose was to promote traditional crafts and tourism, they decided to exhibit at the “WABI SABI” pavilion. The atmosphere matched, and it was a good choice.
We received advice on booth decoration from the Japan Promotion Staff, and we were able to have an effective exhibition.
↓
[Results]
● Mr. Guillaume Jamal, who operates “Ichiban Japan (Ichiban Japan)” connected at Japan Expo Paris - Japan Expo - Mr. Thomas Silde, founder of Japan Expo Paris, and Mr. Fabrice Buon, marketing manager of SEFA EVENT, who plans and operates Japan Expo Paris - Japan Expo - were appointed as influencers Then, they created a PR video for Kyushu for YouTube distribution.
● Interest in traditional crafts such as Imari ware and kagura masks was higher than expected, and it was found that there are also many customers in their 30s and 40s who are authentic-oriented.
★ Point ★
I was able to connect with influencers active locally, and the quality of video production was improved.
The gap between the expected customer base and the actual customer base was mixed, and I was able to know the local feeling.
↓
[After that]
● Based on the local response obtained at the exhibition booth, we re-examined what kind of tourism style is required, and developed a tourism product in which airline tickets, lodging, and rental cars are packed together with travel agencies. A new multilingual guide pamphlet has also been created.
● We aim to attract tourists and raise the level of inbound demand in Kyushu as a whole by proposing a type of tourism style that has never been seen before, such as eco-tours where trekking is carried out on Amami Oshima and Yakushima, and holding participatory events that gather Kyushu festivals.
★ Point ★
By interacting with visitors and knowing their reactions, it became clear what items should be launched and what tourism products were required.
Looking ahead to RWC and the post-Olympics, we will continue to attract tourists and take measures against inbound demand.

Thank you, Mr. Shigeyoshi, for sharing this valuable story!
In vol.3 that follows,Mr. Yukihiro Funami, Tourism Promotion Division, Oyabe City, Toyama PrefectureI would like to ask about domestic promotions and initiatives related to city revitalization that make use of the know-how gained through exhibiting at Japan Expo Paris - Japan Expo.

◎ Interviewee: Mr. Chiken Shigeyoshi, Planning and Research Department, Kyushu Economic Federation

[Events you exhibited at]
Japan Expo Paris “WABI SABI” (2018)

●Kyushu Economic Federation Homepage ＞＞＞https://www.kyukeiren.or.jp/

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