Case Studies

Dedicated Team of Specialists at JTB Spain Overcomes Local Challenges to Deliver Outstanding Hospitality and a Successful Incentive Tour

Client :Machinery manufacturer

Industry :Manufacture and sale of commercial machinery and equipment

Participants :22

Destination :Japan

Period :Late January 2024 (8 days)

# Case Studies
# Group Travel
# Europe

Summary

Incentive tour visiting factories and discovering the latest technologies at client’s Japan headquarters
Overcoming difficulties in coordinating schedules with Japanese office
JTB Spain playing a coordinating role and demonstrating high-level hospitality
Offering special Japan sightseeing tour that exceeds expectations

Objectives

The client was a machinery manufacturer that also operates in Spain. Every year, the client invites their high-achieving top customers to go on incentive tours to Japan, the home of its headquarters, to strengthen relationships between manufacturers and distributors.

These tours represent years of collaboration between our respected clients and JTB Spain, where we've dedicated ourselves to rapid responsiveness and careful consideration of client's individual needs. Two goals were set for this tour: introduce the cutting-edge technology used at factories and development sites and give participants the opportunity to enjoy a special sightseeing tour of Japan.

Since the client's manufacturing bases were mainly in Kansai (the western region of Japan) and Kanto (Tokyo and its surroundings), we proposed a plan that traversed west to east between these two.We worked together with the client's Spanish and Japanese bases to ensure the tour would have both learning and sightseeing opportunities for participants.

Challenges

Four main issues were identified for this tour. The first was the scheduling of factory tours and other activities with the client's Japanese base. For compliance purposes, this part of the tour had to be booked several months in advance.

However, due to the need for internal coordination, it is usually not possible to confirm specific dates and times at that point. In addition, the 8-day schedule had to take into account travel between the Kansai, Chubu, and Kanto regions. This made it difficult to include all factories and desired sightseeing spots in the plan.Ultimately, through a well-organized schedule, we developed an itinerary that adhered to the wishes of both the client and participants.

Dealing with diverse dietary restrictions proved to be another challenge. Many participants requested gluten-free or vegan dining options, which led to significant barriers in making restaurant reservations and related coordination, including negotiations with the airline regarding on-board dining options on the day of the flight. The increase in inbound travel to Japan also meant challenges in arranging airline tickets.

Key Points

Coordinated essential support between client’s Spain and Japan bases
Created strict time schedule for an 8-day incentive tour
Arranged business airline tickets during a busy period through JTB's knowledge
Provided hospitality with a deep understanding of Spanish customs and culture

Solutions

Coordinator and negotiator on behalf of the client

As the project progressed, we recognized the need for additional support in coordinating activities between the Spanish and Japanese offices. We therefore took on the role of assisting with various arrangements, including scheduling factory tours. This proactive approach helped ensure smooth project progression and demonstrated our commitment to facilitating the client's needs.

Our familiarity with Spanish business practices and the speed of negotiations enabled us to arrange visits with factories in key destinations and technical centers that typically limit the number of people they accept.

Prompt transportation arrangements

Group reservations for business class tickets are usually fraught with difficulty. To overcome this, we shifted the timing of the tour from fall to winter. Our unique routes and booking experience enabled us to arrange business-class seats for everyone, albeit at the last minute. JTB Japan's Division helped us to secure the buses and hotels for the tour.

Highly organized schedule in collaboration with experienced guides

Schedule delays are hard to avoid when it comes to sightseeing tours in Japan. Since some of the factory visits and attractions were reserved for a specific time, there had to be no major delays during the tour. To prevent this, experienced interpreter guides and our Spain team worked together to implement strict time management. When visiting a technical center where numbers were limited, we split the group into two to ensure that everyone can spend quality time there.

Adapting to diverse dietary requirements

With detailed knowledge of the dietary preferences of all participants in advance of the tour, we were able to have detailed discussions with Japanese restaurants regarding the menu. In particular, our experience and strong network enabled us to negotiate requests not common in Japanese restaurants, such as gluten-free and vegan options.

Tour plans tailored to participants' needs

Since many on the tour worked in architecture-related fields, SHIBUYA SKY and TeamLab were some of the destinations that were recommended by JTB Spain. In the end, they became some of the most memorable destinations for many of the participants. Despite the tight schedule, we carefully balanced the itinerary to ensure guests could experience both traditional Japanese culture and cutting-edge tourist attractions. Since Spanish people tend to value relaxing in the evenings, we made an effort to include more free time during evening hours.

Conclusion

The partnership between the client and participants was strengthened by the planning and execution of the tour plan proposed by our Spain team. Despite the busy itinerary, we received feedback that everyone was extremely satisfied with the trip.

The project demonstrated our high level of hospitality in arranging airline tickets and negotiating dining options with restaurants and airlines to meet the needs of each participant. This was made possible by our strong global network and problem-solving capabilities accumulated through our overseas MICE business.

JTB Spain continues to propose high-quality incentive tours, armed with outstanding hospitality and great knowledge of Spanish culture that sets our business apart from our competition.

Project Lead

Masako Ishishi

JTB Viajes Spain, S.A.
Meeting & Events
Senior Manager

Until 2000, Japan Airlines Madrid Office: Reservation & Ticketing, and Corporate Sales.
2000-2019, JALPAK and later JTB: Manager at Corporate Business Travel and MICE.
Since 2019, JTB Europe: Senior Manager at Meeting & Events, focusing on corporate incentive groups and events.