Case Studies

Rediscover the Charms of Japan with a Special Pilgrimage-themed 15-day Tour for Affluent Travelers

Client :Local travel agent

Industry :Travel and tourism

Participants :24

Destination : Narita, Kyoto, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kyushu

Period :November 2023 (14 nights, 15 days)

# Case Studies
# Group Travel
# Oceania

Summary

Creating a unique Japan travel plan with a pilgrimage theme
Making arrangements with New Zealand travel culture in mind
Planning highly satisfying trips with careful preparation and full support
Building relationships through tour plans that only JTB can provide

Objectives

Japan is one of the most popular overseas destinations for New Zealanders. Because of this demand, JTB New Zealand has partnered with many local travel agencies to organize tours to Japan for both individuals and corporations. In particular, we have established a strong partnership with a local travel agency that offer sightseeing tours of Japan for older, affluent people. For about 10 years, we have been organizing a 15-day tour every year in partnership with this agency where they propose the destinations and themes, and we organize tour plans in line with their wishes.

Our partner travel agency's tour includes a “pilgrimage” theme each year, which is the highlight of the tour. We proposed a plan to enter Japan from Narita Airport and travel southward to Kyoto, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Oita. The final destination of the trip was a stay in Beppu in Oita Prefecture, an area known as one of the most famous hot spring resorts in Japan. Oita Prefecture was selected as the highlight for the tour as it was where the New Zealand national team played a match during the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Challenges

Every year brings high hurdles in making our tours a reality as these 15 days must impress the most demanding tourists beyond their wildest imagination. The first issue concerned dining. Many people in New Zealand are vegetarian or constitutionally unable to accept flour in their diet. As there have always been participants on our annual tours who fall into this category, it was necessary to find accommodations and restaurants that could accommodate such requests.

As for accommodations, the main issue was securing king-size beds. New Zealanders tend to be larger than Japanese people, plus these visitors are more affluent with a tendency to place more importance on the time they spend in hotel rooms. Many people also have tattoos on their bodies as part of their culture to cherish their ancestors, which added to the difficulty of finding accommodations with hot spring baths where people with tattoos could bathe. The timing of creating and announcing this tour was also important. People living in Oceania have a culture of taking longer vacations, and New Zealanders plan their vacations early on. We needed to announce the tour and invite applicants well in advance.

Key points

Planning according to New Zealand vacation culture
Proposing appealing tour plans for affluent people with a keen sense of aesthetics
Adjusting needs in accommodations, dining, hot spring bathing, and transportation
Building full support system to enhance peace of mind in a foreign country

Solutions

Organized planning and sales strategy

We spent six months carefully planning the tour before its November start. Budgetary considerations were taken into account to create a sightseeing plan that also utilized our Shinkansen package. This attractive travel package across Japan was so appealing to these wealthy travelers that it became fully booked in two weeks.

Special pilgrimage-themed tour proposal

For the participants seeking the charms of off-the-beaten-path places in Japan, we proposed an additional plan to visit the Kumano Kodo, a series of ancient pilgrimage trails. During our stay in Kyoto, we headed to Wakayama to begin the Kumano Kodo. This pilgrimage through spiritual lands for about eight hours a day was extremely well received, and showcased our strength in offering visits to atypical places of interest in Japan.

Reservations with the help of travel data

We booked restaurants and accommodations utilizing our travel tour data and global network. This vast amount of data on restaurants and accommodations is shared within the team who then arrange with those that match the requirements. Due to the increasing demand for inbound travel in Japan, it was difficult to reserve longer-term accommodations, but we worked closely with our staff in Japan and succeeded in securing a five-star hotel for a relaxing stay for the group.

Full preparedness and flexibility

Since this was a long tour (14 nights and 15 days), we made sure to be well prepared for any unexpected developments. We always had multiple alternative plans prepared in case of poor weather and coordinated with hospitals just in case. Speedy coordination between the back office and the tour group ensured relevant information was shared when problems occurred.

Immediate communication with local support

One tour leader from New Zealand accompanied the group on this trip to Japan. When any changes or problems occurred, this information was shared with all involved JTB personnel so that adjustments could be made immediately.

Conclusion

We were able to make full use of the JTB network to create a very successful 15-day tour. In particular, we received very high praise for the quality of food offered, with participants highly satisfied with their izakaya experiences and traditional Japanese food. In addition, one of the main events of the tour was a food-and-beverage experience in Beppu that left a strong impression through its creative French cuisine using local ingredients. This experience alongside views overlooking Beppu Bay became an unforgettable memory.

Our unique plans, meticulous service, and support system were well received and our partnership with the travel agency became stronger, with a plan to help arrange another tour mainly around Shikoku in the following year. The presence of New Zealand staff familiar with the culture and Japanese staff with knowledge of accommodations and dining in Japan made this a one-of-a-kind tour that no other travel agency could have created.

Project Lead

Yukari Kato

JTB New Zealand Ltd.
Outbound Department
Senior Manager

Graduated Auckland University of Technology, spent 4 years with JALPAK, Japan Airlines' general service agent, in charge of Japan visit business. Developed & expanded B2B & B2C businesses. Senior Manager at JTB New Zealand for 15 years, responsible for the entire outbound business. Present position.