Accenture awarded contract to support increased tourism in Japan

The Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) has awarded Accenture a seven-month contract to provide management consulting services to help increase the number of tourists to Japan. The effort is part of the government’s initiative to attract 20 million foreign tourists in the run up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Accenture will present recommendations to JTA based on a survey the company develops to better understand the challenges tourists say they face in traveling to the country. The survey, which will be conducted at airports and other travel locations, will examine the environment for welcoming foreign guests in Japan, including communications infrastructure, payment and purchase options and multilingual support options. Results and recommendations will be shared across Japan and abroad.

“Accenture is honored to be entrusted with this important work,” said Joichi Ebihara, managing director, Accenture Strategy in Japan, who is leading the project. “We will use our deep knowledge of and experience in the tourism industry and leverage marketing and consumer analytics to help support the government’s strategy to make Japan a leading travel destination.”

In order to reach its target goal of 20 million visitors, JTA is emphasizing increased number of return visits by foreign visitors, targeting improved tourist satisfaction while visiting Japan.

Accenture’s work will encourage local governments, the private sector and appropriate organizations to create a more welcoming environment for tourists, Ebihara said.

© Business Wire