Nurturing Future Leaders in Tourism: Japan's Educational Initiative for Regional Revitalization

Japan's "Tourism Education Promotion Project for Regional Revitalization" aims to invigorate the tourism sector and underpin the resurgence of tourism destinations and industries by fostering and securing human resources. Recognizing the essential role of developing talent not only for the present but also for future tourism, this project seeks to unearth and multifacetedly nurture potential talents who will drive the future of tourism.

Historically, the Japan Tourism Agency has engaged in tourism education focused on instilling pride and understanding of tourism's significance among the younger generation, predominantly within elementary and secondary education levels. Recent efforts have particularly concentrated on spreading tourism education in high schools, aligning with the introduction of the "Tourism Business" subject under the new educational guidelines.

Expanding beyond school-aged children to encompass all residents, including adults, the project aims to adopt a community-wide approach to tourism education. It encourages the creation of a foundation for continuous and practical tourism education through public-private-academic partnerships, focusing on addressing regional challenges and practicing "tourism education open to the entire region."

The process of this project includes application submission, review by a selection committee, and subsequent notification of acceptance, allowing selected regions to commence their initiatives. Each selected region (designated "selected region") will develop a public-private-academic collaborative foundation for implementing tourism education and address regional challenges through tailored educational initiatives.

Support for the project includes assistance with necessary expenses and advisory services to promote and advance the implementation efforts. Regions are encouraged to submit annual plans post-initial council meetings, actively participate in regular meetings with the Japan Tourism Agency, and present their achievements, aiming to become advanced models of tourism education.

This initiative represents Japan's strategic move towards expanding the base of individuals supporting the nation's goal of becoming a leading tourism country. By fostering a sense of pride and attachment to local regions among all residents and leveraging collaborative efforts, the project aspires to practice widespread and inclusive tourism education.