(Source: MATCHA Inc.)
As inbound tourism to Japan shows signs of revitalization, MATCHA Inc. conducted a survey targeting local governments and tourism operators across the country to understand their perspectives on inbound tourism initiatives. The results revealed that 71.1% of those in charge of actual operations identified “gaining understanding of the importance of inbound strategies within their organization or community” as a key challenge. This highlights that emotional or attitudinal barriers, rather than physical resources, are hindering the advancement of such initiatives.
The survey was conducted from February 20 to March 20, 2025, and received 63 valid responses. The background to the survey includes the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, which has increased the urgency for local regions to enhance their capacity to receive international visitors. Through daily engagement with municipalities and tourism organizations, MATCHA heard frequent comments from the field such as “We want to act, but can’t,” and aimed to quantitatively grasp the reality through this survey.
(Source: MATCHA Inc.)
One notable finding was that approximately 45% of respondents had less than three years of experience in inbound tourism operations. This suggests a lack of knowledge transfer and sharing, raising concerns about the continuity and quality of the initiatives. Additionally, among those who expressed a desire to actively attract inbound tourists, about 29% said they could dedicate less than two hours per week to inbound-related tasks, indicating that such responsibilities are often sidelined due to other work duties.
(Source: MATCHA Inc.)
The survey also uncovered challenges in target market setting. While the most frequently cited priority market was Taiwan (30.2%), the presence of respondents who answered “No target set” (17.5%) or gave “No response” (25.4%) means that over 40% lack a clearly defined target. This reveals a state of confusion or inadequate preparation at the operational level, particularly in the crucial area of targeting that determines the direction of strategic efforts.
In response to these challenges, MATCHA supports the implementation of sustainable inbound strategies through services such as its multilingual content distribution tool “MATCHA Contents Manager (MCM),” as well as marketing support, seminars, and the industry-wide event “Inbound Summit.”
MATCHA remains committed to listening to the voices of those on the ground, addressing region-specific issues, and strengthening its support as a partner in the sustainable promotion of inbound tourism.