As a part of the Tourism Resilience Summit hosted by the Japan Tourism Agency, a symposium on Tourism Resilience was conducted last November 9, in Sendai, Japan.
The panel sessions highlighted tourism resilience as the ability of a tourism-dependent community, region, or country to withstand, adapt, and recover from adversities such as climate-related disasters, economic downturns, public health crises, and other disturbances. The discussion also provided valuable insights into enhancing the resilience of tourism destinations and businesses by adopting proactive strategies and measures to prepare for future crises.
In this regard, the symposium focused on leveraging experience and lessons from past crises to prepare for the future. Invited speakers from the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (Kobe office), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Tohoku University, representatives from national ministries and local government offices, and transport and accommodation businesses involved in tourism and disaster management came together to share valuable knowledge and experiences from their respective perspectives. The panelists underlined the importance of accumulated efforts on analysis, risk reduction, and training during normal times, and the requirement for a destination-wide approach to prevent or minimize the harmful influence of the crises.
The event was attended by nearly 100 participants including delegates of the Tourism Resilience Summit.
An English-dubbed version of the recorded session is available online at this link: https://youtu.be/2p1W_lathGQ
Opening Ceremony
Mr. Tsuyoshi Murakami, Special Representative for Tourism Policy Research and International Affairs, Japan Tourism Agency
Dr. Dirk Glaesser, Director, Sustainable Tourism and Resilience Department, UN Tourism
Mr. Shinichi Takahashi, Vice Mayor, City of Sendai
Keynote Speech
Dr. Yuki Matsuoka, Head, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Kobe Office
Panel Session 1: Preparing for tourism crises: Ensuring safety and security of tourists in the event of crises
This panel debate showcased an inspiring presentation of responses and lessons learned from past crises and discussed how national and local governments, tourism businesses, and other stakeholders could collaborate to better prepare for ensuring the safety and security of tourists in the event of future crises.
Moderator: Mr. Masato Takamatsu, President, Tourism Resilience Japan
Speakers:
Mr. Pavnesh Kumar, Director, Sustainability and Research, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
Mr. Yoshio Yuki, Chairman, Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association
Mr. Naoki Tsukamoto, Director, Disaster Risk Reduction Department, Sendai Regional Headquarters, Japan Meteorological Agency, Ministry of Land Infrastructure Transportation and Tourism
Mr. Norito Michishita, Manager, KAGAYA
Panel Session 2: Preparing for business continuity and recovery after tourism crises: To minimize the impact on destinations and tourism industry
This panel debate focused on middle to long-term strategies to mitigate and minimize the impact of the crises on affected destinations and the tourism industry and discuss what kind of interventions to be prepared or measures to be taken by the national and local governments, tourism businesses, and other stakeholders of tourists before another crisis occurs.
Moderator: Mr. Masato Takamatsu, President, Tourism Resilience Japan
Speakers:
Mr. Takashi Uchiyama, Executive Director, Japan Travel and Tourism Association
Mr. Masayuki Sawato, Department Director, Lifestyle Creation and Community Vitalization Development, Marketing Headquarters, East Japan Railways Company
Prof. Hiroaki Maruya, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University
Mr. Naoki Matsumura, JICA Regional Policy Advisor for Disaster Risk Reduction, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
Closing Remarks
Ms. Chiaki Oya, Deputy Chief, UN Tourism Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific
Related link: Joint Statement Tourism Resilience Summit Ministerial Meeting (Sendai Statement)
