Fukuoka City, situated in the northern part of Kyushu Island in Japan
With an aim to take forward its sustainability infrastructure, Fukuoka City becomes the latest member to join the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as the first municipality destination member in Japan.
In a press statement, GSTC says that Fukuoka City, situated in the northern part of Kyushu Island in Japan, has emerged as a bustling metropolis blending modernity with rich cultural heritage, with its roots in the ancient city of Hakata.
“In Fukuoka City, the public and private sectors are working together to raise the level of initiatives toward sustainability. We support environmentally friendly tour products and sales promotion, especially for lodging facilities in Fukuoka City. Through the GSTC, Fukuoka City will also widely disseminate information on its efforts to improve its presence as a city and become the city of choice for tourists,” says Takashi Yoshida, Director of Tourism Marketing Section, Fukuoka City.
GSTC says it encourages destinations pursuing sustainability practices in tourism development and management to join as members and apply the GSTC Destination Criteria, which eventually can help achieve certification by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body.
“We are pleased to welcome Fukuoka City as a new member of the GSTC. We believe that all our members have the potential to positively impact sustainable travel and tourism. We look forward to collaborating closely with Fukuoka City to promote sustainable tourism practices worldwide,” says Randy Durband, CEO of GSTC.
GSTC highlights some of the many steps the city has taken to foster sustainability, including a series of strategic actions in 1979 to develop an efficient water management system that has now led the city to have the lowest leakage rate in the world. Further, Fukuoka City encourages the construction of environmentally friendly buildings. Its “Fukuoka Smart East” project has been a blueprint to create a smart city, achieving high-quality lifestyles and sustainable development. Further, its ‘The 10,000 Trees Project’ to plant tree and ‘the Fukuoka Art Next Project’ to highlight the history, traditions and culture of Fukuoka City have enhanced the city’s appeal.
A stakeholders dialogue Support for sustainable tourism destination management was held at the JTB headquarters
This membership comes on the heels of Durband’s recent visit to Japan. A stakeholders dialogue Support for sustainable tourism destination management was held at the JTB headquarters to discuss how the private sector can contribute to sustainable tourism management in Japan, featuring JTB Group CEO, Eijiro Yamakita and Electives among others.
The statement adds that together they explored future possibilities inspired by the initiatives that won the FY2022 ALL JTB AWARD Sustainability Prize. This exploration included discussions on how to integrate these successful sustainability practices into broader tourism strategies, aiming to enhance sustainability in the region.
The moderator, Kuniko Takasaki, a Member of GSTC’s Board of Directors and Chief Communication Officer of JTB Group, initiated the dialogue first by inviting a representative from the JTB Kumamoto Branch, Ryosuke Nakamura, an awardee in the category, to share insights and the journey on their successful initiative at the Nabegataki Waterfalls in Oguni Town, Kumamoto.
“I think the use of digital data presents a great opportunity for tourism and is in line with what we are doing at GSTC. The Nabeketaki initiative was a very unusual and brilliant effort, with the private sector taking the lead,” adds Durband.
