2026 Volume 33 Pages 173-182
Until 2019, tourists from China accounted for most visitors to Japan from overseas. Due to the new coronavirus, there are currently almost no Chinese visitors to Japan, but the number is expected to increase again in 2023 as the Japanese government eases border measures. For this reason, “tourists” who connect tourists with tourist destinations are considered to play an important role. In this study, we focused on the role of professional tour conductor at the “Shirakawa-go Light Up” local event in Shirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture, and conducted interviews to clarify the role of professional tour operators in relation to Chinese visitors to Japan. We considered how professional tour conductor can respond to various constraints and successfully realize trips for inbound tourists. As a result, professional tour operators are crucial when Chinese tourists tour Japan, and it becomes clear that local event tourism is influenced by the efforts of tour conductor. On the other hand, the work of tour conductor has made it possible for foreign tourists to participate in Japan's regional tourism events.
