A life cycle analysis of nature-based tourism policy in Japan

Abstract

This paper uses Butler's Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model to track the rise and fall of nature-based tourism (NBT) in Japan through six stages of nature park visitation from "Exploration" to the post-stagnation stages of either "Decline" or "Rejuvenation". First, "Exploration" examines the marriage of indigenous travel culture with Westernized perceptions of landscape. NBT's regional development role strengthened in the "Involvement" stage, when systemization of national parks and package tours paved the way for mass tourism. In the postwar era, urban demand for NBT soared; "Development" was increasingly centralized and bundled with land use policies, but by "Consolidation" visitation growth had cooled due to intensifying competition between resorts and from abroad. In the domestic market, inequalities intensified, but overall NBT visitation leveled off, causing "Stagnation". PublicϪprivate consortiums galvanized communities into large-scale development projects epitomized by the Resort Law, but the financial and environmental consequences were disastrous, leading to "Decline". In the post-bubble era, ecotourism showed potential for "Rejuvenation", but to be effective it needs more integrative policy objectives, a consistent framework, longterm fiscal commitment, and capacity-building among rural communities. Therefore, this paper proposes a twin ecotourism strategy that promotes grandstand venues such as UNESCO sites while supporting grassroots satoyama/umi areas.

Nature-Based Tourism Motivations and Visit Profiles of Domestic and International Segments to a Japanese National Park

“…However, Japanese demand for NBT peaked in 1991 according to national indicators such as the number of national park visits (Pergams, Zaradic 2008). The subsequent three decades of declining visitation have been explained in terms of the shrinking population, economic decline of rural regions, market dynamics changes, and ineffective management (Jones 2012). In response to the downturn, the multi-faceted paradigm of ecotourism (eko-tsūrizumu) has been promoted by public and private sectors to reinvigorate the NBT market (Jones 2012;Hasan 2017).…”

“…The subsequent three decades of declining visitation have been explained in terms of the shrinking population, economic decline of rural regions, market dynamics changes, and ineffective management (Jones 2012). In response to the downturn, the multi-faceted paradigm of ecotourism (eko-tsūrizumu) has been promoted by public and private sectors to reinvigorate the NBT market (Jones 2012;Hasan 2017). Yet despite devoting substantial economic and political resources, considerable challenges surround the development of NBT in Japan due to low levels of market penetration of ecotourism.…”

The Implication of TALC to Tourism Planning and Development in the Global South: Examples from Nigeria

“…Where data are likely to be available it usually hotels in which 98 percent are privately owned or destinations with religious attributes like Awhum. Lack of numerical data will forestall any sustainable developmental plan, but this may not be peculiar to ecotourism but a common problem in tourism destinations like parks (ecotourism destination) (Jones, 2012). Numerical values are needed to forecast the next stage of destinations and ensure adequate planning.…”

“…This aligns with the assertion of Jones in nature-based tourism parks in Japan. The tendency of some destination not to reach the peak of the model is not ruled out, due to the availability of similar alternatives (Jones, 2012). The need to explore alternative tourism products within these destinations is inevitable for sustainable tourism in these destinations and region at large.…”

Perceptions of Multiple Stakeholders about Environmental Issues at a Nature-Based Tourism Destination: The Case of Yakushima Island, Japan

“…Since Japanese NPs were designated with the intention of enabling nature tourism, they contain the most popular tourist destinations in the country [33,34]. Over time, NBT in NPs turned to mass tourism, resulting in adverse impacts on the natural environment [33]. Yakushima Island chosen for this study is a NP and a famous NBT destination in Japan.…”