- Date: March 23 to 24, 2024 (Online Pre-Departure session- March 9, 2024)
- Place: Miyama (Nantan City), Kyoto
- Theme: Sustainable Tourism in the Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism
- Number of participants: 22 participants from 8 countries, and 6 observers from universities and the private sector
The 5th version of the workshop was co-organized by the UN Tourism Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP) with the Kobe University Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Miyama Tourism Association (Miyama DMO) with the theme: Sustainable Tourism in the Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism. The lectures focused on introducing rural destinations in Japan that were recently recognized as “Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism” (BTV) and learning about sustainable tourism institutions and certifications from Taiwan and Thailand. After the online session, the workshop was also held in one of the BTVs in Japan — in Miyama (Nantan City), Kyoto.
This year’s workshop divided the participants into three (3) groups who were assigned to research the villages of Hakuba, Oku-Matsushima, and Niseko, three of the Best Tourism Villages in Japan, and examine these destinations based on their geography, tourist arrivals, and tourism offerings, as well as their most sustainable elements as a destination.
Together with the UN Tourism RSOAP, Kobe University, JICA, and Miyama DMO, the workshop participants visited Miyama village to see firsthand the strengths and challenges of destination villages.
This year’s workshop showcased online and video presentations from:
- Mr. Masanori Kudo, COO/CMO, In-outbound Tohoku (as of April 2024) : Oku-Matsushima from a Practitioner’s Viewpoint
- Ms. Federica Iellici, Programme Officer, UN Tourism: Best Tourism Village Initiative
- Ms. Tomomi Sato and Mr. Yuya Tsuda, JICA: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Through Tourism – Toolkit of Indicators for Projects (TIPs)
And onsite presentations from:
- Ms. Monique Chen, Chairperson, Sustainable Travel Taiwan: Experiences of Implementing Global Sustainable Tourism in Taiwan
- Mr. Natthawut Chaengkrachang, Officer, Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Nan Province, Thailand): Sustainable and Community-based Tourism in Thailand: Best Tourism Village and DASTA
The 5th Future Tourism Leaders Workshop is the first onsite workshop held after the pandemic. Through the support of Miyama DMO, the two-day workshop was successfully concluded on March 24 (Sunday).
Overview of the 5th FTLW: 5th Future Tourism Leaders Workshop
Stay updated through the UNWTO RSOAP webpage for updates on the next Future Tourism Leaders Workshop!
