Working with both public and private clients, we offer valuable guidance on targeting the right market or demographic with the most effective promotional materials.
Contents Tourism and Cultural Consulting
Buoyed by increased global interest in Japan and international recognition of its extensive World Heritage sites, both national and local Japanese governments have been investing heavily in tourism and overseas outreach in recent years.
The MAHA Group has been supporting such initiatives in a myriad of ways, leveraging our experience and capabilities to provide consulting services on tourism content as well as cultural understanding. Working with both public and private clients, we offer valuable guidance on targeting the right market or demographic with the most effective promotional materials.
Below are just a few examples of the projects in our consulting portfolio.
Course design and promotional video production
“A model sightseeing course for Japan’s World Heritage sites near Himeji Port”
Client
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)
Year
2021
JNTO wanted to develop tourism for cruise ship passengers docking in the Port of Himeji. We designed an attractive model course that was easily accessible from the port which included UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and also produced a promotional video that could be shown to cruise ship passengers.
Visitor promotion project
“Naka-Harima, a place you can't help but want to visit”
Client
Hyogo Prefecture Naka-Harima Prefectural Center
Year
2021
Naka-Harima hoped to draw in more visitors from other parts of Japan beside the Kansai area. We worked with the client and suggested inviting tour companies to visit Naka-Harima and create enticing tour packages.
Guide training project
Guide training project to provide high-quality inbound tourism services
Client
Japan Tourism Agency
Year
2021
In partnership with KNOT WORLD Co., Ltd., we helped train and educate tour guides about foreigners’ needs and expectations, providing direct feedback on sample tours, running training sessions to familiarize guides with non-Japanese perspectives, and leading brainstorming sessions.
Location research and evaluation project
Regional dispatch of travel designers and content producers
Client
Japan Tourism Agency
Year
2021
On behalf of the client, Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. assigned us to evaluate tourism content in Tottori Prefecture. Prior to our visit, we selected the most interesting places for tourists to visit, then experienced tours and provided feedback on sightseeing assets from a non-Japanese point of view, such as suggesting the addition or removal of specific services.
Visitor promotion project
Video production targeted to affluent travelers
Client
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)
Year
2021
In partnership with West Japan Marketing Communications Inc., we first provided input to the client about luxury travel in Japan, providing specific suggestions about content that would appeal to the international, high-end market. Ultimately, our suggestions for a helicopter tour around Mt. Fuji and an architecture tour with renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma were selected, and we then organized the tours, arranged filming permits, obtained approval and handled negotiations, and provided other assistance until the video was filmed.
Market research and interview project
Survey/study on resources for industrial tourism
Client
Japan Tourism Agency
Year
2020
Toyama Prefecture was exploring the development of industrial tourism to promote business tie-ups and wanted to better understand the perspective of relevant Thai business owners. Working in partnership with LandReam Inc., we not only reached out to business owners and CEOs in Thailand and interviewed them, but also wrote a report, and analyzed it together with LandReam. Later, we followed up with a visit to Toyama, inspected all of the tourism content, and shared our feedback with the client.
Promotional video production project
Familiarization trip for media about promoting Japan to visitors from Indonesia
Client
Himeji City Hall
Year
2018
In partnership with AdAsia Japan Inc. and Shinki Bus Co., Ltd., we invited two Indonesian influencers to Japan and took them to Himeji City in the western part of the country to understand what would appeal to the target Indonesian market. These influencers posted about Himeji to social media, and we helped produce a video that AdAsia used in an ad campaign.
Promotional video production project
Tohoku Recovery Project
Client
Miyagi Prefecture
Year
2017
Collaborating with TRINITY OPTIMA, we helped an Indonesian singer film his music video in Miyagi Prefecture, including casting for the models, location scouting, and coordinating with the non-Japanese director. The video was a tremendous success, reaching 1 million YouTube views in the first three days alone.
