On Tuesday, December 9th, a presentation on "Proposals for Promoting Tourism in Asakura City" was held at our university as part of a course sponsored by Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.'s Fukuoka Branch.
In this endowed lecture, nine second-year students Department of Regional Development Faculty of Collaborative Regional Development, Faculty of Regional Co-creation, presented proposals to officials from Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.'s Fukuoka Branch and Asakura City's Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division on the theme of "What can be done to attract young tourists to Asakura City?"
The students were divided into three teams, and based on data analysis and field research, they identified the city's strengths and presented tourism plans aimed at young people. They proposed tourism plans from different perspectives, such as a bus tour combining a mystery-solving game with tourist spots, seasonal light-up illuminations, and night tourism where participants could try their hand at lantern making. After the presentations, an awards ceremony was held, and Team Mirai was declared the winner. They proposed a tourism plan that combined well-known tourist destinations such as Haratsuru Onsen with tourism resources that are expected to become more well-known, such as SUP experiences, as well as a travel package that included digital coupons to encourage repeat visits.
Ms. Ai Yoshigami, head of the Regional Co-creation Group, Planning and General Affairs Department, Fukuoka Branch of Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc., said, "We received comments and suggestions from a different perspective than ours, which were very helpful." Mr. Katsuhiko Eto, section chief of the Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division of Asakura City, said, "We are thinking about how to create a tourism cycle where people learn about it, research it, come, and spread the word, but we would like the students to acquire a wide range of knowledge in addition to studying tourism."
Kitajima Haruno (Kasai High School) of the winning team Mirai said, "We struggled to come up with a feasible and original plan that would make use of existing tourism resources," while Onoyama Saneyuki (Kasai High School) said, "When looking at a region, I felt that by looking at it from various perspectives, you can see its effectiveness and effects," and Aratsu Riko (Kokuraminami High School) commented, "I haven't had many classes that cover everything from field research to presentations, so it was a good experience. I would like to put what I learned to good use even after I enter society."
[Faculty of Collaborative Regional Development]
