International Tourism System: Annotated Bibliography on Japan's Tourism Industry

This annotated bibliography provides an in-depth overview of Japan's tourism industry and its challenges. It covers the economic impact of tourism in Tokyo, the cultural barriers faced by international visitors, and the strategies for sustainable growth towards the 2020 Olympics. The bibliography includes six sources that discuss the importance of marketing and promotion, implementing multiculturalism, and improving transportation systems to attract international customers.

Running head: INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEM
International Tourism System
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Annotated Bibliography 1: japantimes.co.jp., (2018). Tourism in Japan and the world | The
Japan Times. [online] Available at:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/03/04/editorials/tourism-in-japan-and-the-world/
#.WtHxuC5ubIU [Accessed 14 Apr. 2018].
This particular news article has provided on how Japan’s attractive destination is
attracting international visitors due to which the tourism industry is getting immensely benefited.
As per the data given by United Nations World Tourism Organization (2013), around 1.035
billion arrivals have visited this country despite immense economic uncertainties. Tokyo being
one of the most popular and recognizable tourism destinations of Japan, has grabbed the
attention of large number of international visitors. The article has highlighted that Japan is still
going through an economic depression in developing their tourism business. As per last year
scenario, large numbers of visitors have visited various places of Japan among which Tokyo is
the most prominent. The article shows that Japan’s inbound tourism primarily hampered due to
cultural barrier.
Edgell (2016) stated that inhabitants of Japan are very much biased on their own heritage
and culture. As a result, people belonging to various cultural backgrounds and attitudes face
immense difficulties in communicating with the regional people of Japan. As a result, the
tourism industry is not facing a serious growth in comparison to the development process of
other industries. However, in this kind of situation, it has been observed that international
visitors primarily focus on visiting European countries rather than visiting Japan. However, after
identifying the tourism destination and cultural issue the government has taken an initiative in
improving the tourism policies based on which the international visitors can feel comfortable in
visiting the attractive destinations of Japan. As a result, in the last year the industry has faced a

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radical growth after dragging the attention of large number of visitors in Japan. The business
experts have faced immense economic growth for rendering sustainable development.
Annotated Bibliography 2: travelvoice.jp., 2018. Travel Voice - Japanese Travel Trade News
[Official]. (2018). Economic impact on Tokyo by tourism is estimated at 12 trillion JPY in 2014.
[online] Available at: https://www.travelvoice.jp/english/economic-impact-on-tokyo-by-tourism-
is-estimated-at-12-trillion-jpy-in-2014/ [Accessed 14 Apr. 2018].
Tokyo Metropolitan government has highlighted that the number of international tourists
have been increased from 12,012.7 to 563,085 from 2014 to 2015. It leaves a large economic
impact on the overall business growth of tourism industry. People can Experience the magic of
Studio Ghibli during an enchanting tour to the Ghibli Museum and Edo-Tokyo Open Air
Architecture Museum. In addition, Meiji Shrine, Asakua Temple is one of the most attractive
destinations for tourists. As per the opinion of Jamal and Camargo (2014), after an improvement
on the business strategy in tourism industry, the entire country has rendered immense economic
growth.
Numerous regional business enterprises have developed their business wings after
drawing the attention of international customers. After the emergence of tourism growth outside
business experts have entered in the market of Japan. As a result, the scope for domestic business
growth has been reduced immensely. As emphasized by Tyrväinen et al. (2014), after the
entrance of outside business brands Tokyo metropolitan brand has rendered a significant
economic growth. As a result, the tourism business industry has easily drawn a significant role in
the international market. Global customers are very much aware of the tourism destination of

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Japan, especially in Tokyo. The article has depicted an in-depth overview about the impact of the
tourism industry on the overall economic growth of Japan.
Annotated Bibliography 3: Dennis C. McCornac and Rong Zhang, T. (2018). Japan’s
International Tourism Challenge. [online] The Diplomat. Available at:
https://thediplomat.com/2014/10/japans-international-tourism-challenge/ [Accessed 14 Apr.
2018].
This particular article has provided deep insight about the opportunity for Japan to attract
international customers for flourishing their inbound tourism industry. Japan’s successful bid in
hosting 2020 summer Olympic in Tokyo will attract innumerable international customers to
Japan. The Olympic is one of the most recognizable international games where large numbers of
international players stretch their hands for active participation. In order to participate as well as
watch Olympic Games people from abroad would have to visit this place. As a result, the tourism
industry would automatically flourish. The article has depicted that in order to expand the
business in multinational countries business experts have to change their business strategies and
policies.
Torres-Delgado and Palomeque (2014) stated that implementing international marketing
strategies and policies is very significant for attracting global customers. As per regional cultural
backgrounds, Japan tends to follow their own culture. Tourism operators are not very flexible in
communicating with the international visitors effectively. In this kind of situation, visitors have
to face immense facilities in getting in-depth overview about the tourist spots. This kinds of
miscommunication has made a serious barrier in rendering an economic growth of Japan.
Tourism operators should have proper flexibility in multilingual attributes. As a result, the

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customers would not have to face any kind of challenges in receiving the services from tourism
operators. Implementing cross-cultural strategy within business process would attract the global
customers in being attracted towards the tourist destinations of Tokyo.
Annotated Bibliography 4: Andonian, A., Kuwabara, T., Yamakawa, N. and Ishida, R., (2016).
The future of Japan’s tourism: path for sustainable growth towards 2020. McKinsey Japan and
Travel, Transport and Logistics Practice, October, available at: www. mckinsey. com/global-
locations/asia/japan/en (accessed May 8, 2017).
This primary article has provided on how 2020 Olympic Games would leave a major
positive impact in grabbing the attention of international customers. Edgell (2016) opined that
people belonging to various geographical backgrounds and attitudes are not very aware of the
tourism destinations of Japan, due to their limited promotional activities and regional cultural
backgrounds. Therefore, people from various geographical backgrounds do not get proper
knowledge and overview about tourist spots of Tokyo. This very specific article has highlighted
that 2020 Olympic game is one of the most effective pathways for drawing the attention of
customers from different geographical boundaries. In order to render sustainable growth, Japan
tourism experts would have to focus on transportation system more effectively, so that people
from multinational countries do not have to face challenges in visiting the places of Tokyo. In
addition, tourism marketing executives would have to focus to increase their promotional budget
to draw the attention of international customers. The business experts can use social media as
their most effective promotional tools with the help of which marketing executives would
directly communicate with the target customers. Social media promotion is effective enough in
drawing the attention of customers from different geographical backgrounds and attitudes. In
addition, social media is effective enough with the help of which customers can get an in-depth

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overview about tourist attractions of Tokyo. In addition, customers can easily communicate with
the service providers with the help of effective promotional activities. Therefore, the author in
this very specific article has suggested that tourism industry of Japan should increase their
promotional method for communicating with the international customers more effectively.
Annotated Bibliography 5: Williams, D., (2017.) Tokyo 2020: a legacy or lethargy for
tourism?, West Metropolitan International University., 25(6), pp.51-66.
This very specific article has given a clear overview that Tokyo as a tourist destination is
successful enough in rendering immense economic growth. The metropolitan government of
Tokyo does not plan effectively in enhancing their sustainability in tourism. Various tourists’
spots have already drawn the attention of international customers. The primary reason due to
which Japan tourism industry is not getting an effective growth is lethargy. People from different
geographical backgrounds have to face immense challenges about the tourism destinations of
Japan due to their less promotional activities.
In addition, as per regional cultural backgrounds of Japan, the country tends to follow
their own culture. Tourism operators are not very flexible in communicating with the
international visitors effectively (Jamal and Camargo, 2014). In this kind of situation, visitors
have to face immense difficulties in getting in-depth overview about the tourist spots. In order to
expand their entire business wings in the international market, Japan should use their legacy and
scenic beauty. Target customers should know proper information about the tourist destinations.
As a result, both the customers and the service providers would get equal benefits and facilities.
The author in this specific article has promoted legacy of Japan. As per the point of view of this
specific scholar the business experts should make an effective plan and policies based on which

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people from different geographical backgrounds and attitudes do not have to face serious
challenges in availing the tourism spots of Japan.
Annotated Bibliography 6: Charlesworth, S., 2017. Cultural Tourism in Japan: A Critical
Analysis of Tourists Perceptions of Marketing and Promotional Material for Japanese Cultural
Tourism.
The article has focused to give in-depth overview about the importance of marketing and
promotion for grabbing the attention of international customers. The author has stated in this
occasion that cultural barrier is a serious issue that is hampering the attention of international
customers. Due to language barrier, the visitors do not get proper guidance from the tourism
operators while availing the places. As a result, both the customers and the service providers are
getting affected. The tourism industry is unable to render an effective economic growth. The
author in this article has stated that government should implement National Tourism Policy in
order to attract the international customers. This particular regulation implies that country should
not be biased about regional culture and heritage.
In quest of rendering a development on tourism sector the country should focus on
implementing multiculturalism within business industry (Torres-Delgado and Palomeque, 2014).
Service providers should receive an effective training and development session in rendering
multilingual flexibility at the workplace. As a result, customers would not have to face
challenges in communicating with the service providers. The business industries belonging to the
various tourism destinations of Japan should be promoted by using new media tools. Social
media campaigning is highly necessary in drawing the attention of international customers. The
author in this article has opined that the tourism industry is not facing a serious growth in

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comparison to the development process of other industry. However, in this kind of situation, it
has been observed that international visitors primarily focus on visiting other tourist destination
rather than visiting to Japan. In order to overcome this particular barrier promotion and
marketing is highly important for attracting visitors from different countries.

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Reference List:
Andonian, A., Kuwabara, T., Yamakawa, N. and Ishida, R., (2016). The future of Japan’s
tourism: path for sustainable growth towards 2020. McKinsey Japan and Travel, Transport and
Logistics Practice, October, available at: www. mckinsey. com/global-locations/asia/japan/en
(accessed May 8, 2017).
Charlesworth, S., (2017). Cultural Tourism in Japan: A Critical Analysis of Tourists Perceptions
of Marketing and Promotional Material for Japanese Cultural Tourism
Dennis C. McCornac and Rong Zhang, T. (2018). Japan’s International Tourism Challenge.
[online] The Diplomat. Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2014/10/japans-international-
tourism-challenge/ [Accessed 14 Apr. 2018].
Edgell Sr, D.L., (2016). Managing sustainable tourism: A legacy for the future. Routledge.
Jamal, T. and Camargo, B.A., (2014). Sustainable tourism, justice and an ethic of care: Toward
the just destination. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22(1), pp.11-30.
japantimes.co.jp., (2018). Tourism in Japan and the world | The Japan Times. [online] Available
at: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/03/04/editorials/tourism-in-japan-and-the-world/
#.WtHxuC5ubIU [Accessed 14 Apr. 2018].
Torres-Delgado, A. and Palomeque, F.L., (2014). Measuring sustainable tourism at the
municipal level. Annals of Tourism Research, 49, pp.122-137.
travelvoice.jp., (2018). Travel Voice - Japanese Travel Trade News [Official]. (2018). Economic
impact on Tokyo by tourism is estimated at 12 trillion JPY in 2014. [online] Available at:

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https://www.travelvoice.jp/english/economic-impact-on-tokyo-by-tourism-is-estimated-at-12-
trillion-jpy-in-2014/ [Accessed 14 Apr. 2018].
Tyrväinen, L., Uusitalo, M., Silvennoinen, H. and Hasu, E., (2014). Towards sustainable growth
in nature-based tourism destinations: Clients’ views of land use options in Finnish
Lapland. Landscape and Urban Planning, 122, pp.1-15.
Williams, D., 2017. Tokyo (2020): a legacy or lethargy for tourism?, West Metropolitan
International University. 25(6), pp.51-66.