Japan's tourism strategies have gone beyond just promoting hospitality and have put the nation on track to achieve global standards, a British-born cultural heritage expert said.
The Japanese tourism industry had been somewhat complacent and self-centered, but it is evolving into a world-class business, David Atkinson, 50, chairman and president of Tokyo-based heritage restoration firm Konishi Decorative Arts and Crafts Co. and a former Goldman Sachs bank analyst, said in an interview with The Japan Times last month.
In the wake of increasing overseas visitors, the government in March set a new goal of attracting 40 million visitors by 2020 and 60 million by 2030.