JIRO Local, Now

Hello, this is Jiro! In early February, we traveled to Kumamoto, Japan for a field visit. Drawing on insights from this trip, we interviewed KIKUCHI Shoko, Chief of General Affairs at the Kumamoto International Tourism & Convention Association (hereafter “the Association”), about how the MICE industry is contributing to regional revitalization in Kumamoto. The Association plays a central role in promoting the prefecture’s MICE sector by attracting international conferences, exhibitions, corporate events, and incentive travel programs. Notably, many of its staff members are either originally from Kumamoto or graduates of local universities, giving them a deep understanding of the region. So, let’s dive into what she shared with us. Large international conferences typically require major venues, accommodations, and strong transportation access, which is why they are often concentrated in city centers. To address this, the Association is working to build a region-wide hosting system ...

Hello, this is Jiro! Today, we’d like to introduce Yeoncheon, a region in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located just outside the Seoul metropolitan area, Yeoncheon is a place with a unique character—one where the legacy of the Paleolithic era still lives on today. In Yeoncheon, an ambitious initiative has recently begun, aiming to attract 10 million annual “living population” visits. One key part of this effort is the Yeoncheon Paleolithic Festival, held every year in celebration of the region’s rich prehistoric heritage. Built around a fully realized Paleolithic theme, the festival offers an immersive experience that draws large crowds and plays a meaningful role in boosting Yeoncheon’s living population. Jiro visited the Paleolithic Festival in person. Based on what we saw with our own eyes and experienced firsthand at the festival, we organized a set of ideas aimed at further expanding Yeoncheon’s living population and held an exchange of views with officials from the Yeoncheon Co...