2024年度の活動報告

Faculty of Economics　Masaaki Suzuki

The outline of each session is as follows (Table 1, Table2,table3reference).2024This year's study group focused on the relationship between regional revitalization and tourism.

No.1The seminar invited Mr. Yuki Hirayama of Tsugito Co., Ltd., which operates accommodation facilities in old houses across Japan.

This study group focused on Mino City in Gifu Prefecture. Mino City is working to promote the region and create a connected population by utilizing its abundant local resources, and Minomachiya Co., Ltd. is at the heart of this effort. As an executive of the company, Mr. Hirayama is involved in the launch and operation of several accommodation facilities in the city.

At the workshop, Hirayama spoke about the overview and target audience of the accommodation facilities he has worked on, as well as the operating mechanisms and appeal of these facilities. Opening and operating a facility involves a variety of challenges. Securing the huge amount of funding required to renovate old houses is a particularly important issue, and he spoke in detail about the unique fundraising scheme that Minomachiya Co., Ltd. has developed. Hirayama is also working on utilizing old houses in various regions. We spoke about the conditions for successful utilization of old houses. He pointed out the importance of the willingness and presence of networks within the local community to utilize old houses. While collaboration with players from outside the region is necessary for regional revitalization, we were reminded that it is also important for the local community to welcome these players.

No.2At the seminar, we invited Mr. Masaaki Kuniyoshi, Chairman and CEO of Yomitan Kukuru Resort Okinawa Co., Ltd.1999Founded in 2000, the company operates the experience kingdom "Murasaki Mura" in Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture.NHKThis tourist facility reuses the open set from the historical drama "Winds of Ryukyu," and in addition to accommodation facilities, it has many workshops where you can try out various experiences, such as painting shisa and making Ryukyu glass. It is the core of tourism in the village.

At the study group, we heard about the history of the establishment of "Murasaki Mura" and the current situation.25The facility's success over the years has been due to its ability to respond appropriately to various changes in circumstances and needs. For example, the emergence of competitors led to a slowdown in the number of visitors from school trips, the original target audience, so the facility decided to build accommodation facilities. Furthermore, despite the increase in tourists to Okinawa, there was little nighttime tourism, so the facility focused on holding events using lanterns to enhance its appeal. This study confirmed the importance and difficulty of accurately responding to user needs in order to sustainably revitalize the region, and the need for entrepreneurs who are constantly creative and innovative to solve these difficult challenges.