President Message

2024 was a year of significant recovery in global exchanges, including inbound tourism to Japan. Progress towards the future is also advancing, with developments in technologies such as AI and increased awareness of sustainability.

However, the environment surrounding the tourism industry is far from smooth. Various challenges are piling up, including frequent natural disasters in Japan, the progression of a weak yen, rising resource prices, prolonged international regional conflicts, and the slowdown of the Chinese economy. There are also demands for addressing environmental issues towards decarbonization and SDGs, as well as respecting diversity. Yet, regardless of the situation, the value of tourism never changes. Even in uncertain times, the tourism industry possesses resilience (the ability to recover from difficulties, or the toughness to endure). As 2025 is the Year of the Snake, we, as a think tank for the tourism industry, aim to respond flexibly and persistently like a snake, adapting to the changes of the times.

There is a famous saying by French novelist Marcel Proust:
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
This epitomizes what tourism is all about, and sheds light on what we should focus on in building the industry’s future.

Recent remarkable advancements in both digitization and digital transformation have reshaped many areas of our lives, including the way we communicate, work, and consume goods. As time progresses, more new tools will make our lives more convenient. However, in our pursuit of convenience and efficiency, could we unknowingly be losing what is truly important to us? Rather than introducing new tools merely for the sake of innovation, we must carefully examine their usefulness and determine whether they are things which help us evolve. In the end, we may conclude that, “We shouldn’t be introducing something simply because it’s novel,” and that could well be a wise decision. Helping our customers achieve their goals does not always require new tools. Existing ones, viewed through “new eyes,” may lead us to the right solution. I think this is the implication of the “real voyage of discovery” in the Proust quote.

There is no end to the real voyage of discovery, we’d like to continue the journey with you, focusing on our mission as a tourism think tank to be your “new eyes,” and carefully watch day-to-day changes in the world so as to serve you in the best way possible.

We are committed to enriching people’s lives and their communities.
For our endeavors, I would like to sincerely request your continued goodwill and support.

April 2025