"That is because the development of digital technology is currently helping to facilitate the tourism sector," Head of the Japan Inbound Business Co-Creation Division of JTB Corp Shin Fujimoto stated in an interview with ANTARA on Thursday.
Fujimoto explained that business actors collaborate with technology startup companies to build digital application programs that make matters easier for tourists and tourist destination managers.
In a bid to encourage this, JTB Corp uses an application program called Kotozna that provides features, such as language communication, lodging services, and other tourist services, that help communicate tourist needs.
JTB Corp promotes the system to ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) and hotels in Japan. The company has implemented the app at more than 200 facilities in Japan during the pandemic.
In addition, JTB BOKEN serves as an information platform for local tourism activities.
In this application, JTB Corp presents an array of tourism activities in an area to help local governments promote their unique destinations.
JTB BOKEN also sells services to tourists, so that they can book and pay in an easy and effective way.
According to Shin, using social media to promote tour packages is also an opportunity for the industry to increase promotional efforts.
Moreover, to increase tourist visits, Shin said regional governments should collaborate in creating tour-travel packages.
Apart from offering different experiences to tourists, this can also even out the level of tourist visits to other regions.
"JTB has started promoting several tourist sites in different areas in one package and expects it could increase foreign tourists' visit to the area," Shin stated.
JTB Corp is the largest tour and travel company in Japan.
According to the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) official data, the domestic sales of JTB Corp in November 2022 reached 115.31 million yen (Rp13.34 billion), inbound sales at 3.53 million yen (Rp408.89 million), and outbound sales at 10.06 million yen (Rp1.16 billion), as the tourism sector in Japan is reviving after the pandemic.
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Reporter: Bayu Prasetyo
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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