We are pleased to announce that an article featuring Masaru Takayama, Board Director of JARTA (Japan Alliance of Responsible Travel Agencies), titled "Masaru Takayama: Who Gets to Shape a Destination?" has been published.
Article Overview
Centered around the question "Who gets to shape a destination?", the article explores the fundamental roles that local communities, businesses, and travelers must play, as well as the core principles of building sustainable destinations.
Key Highlights
- Community-Centered Destination Management
Emphasizes the importance of empowering local residents and communities—the custodians of local history and daily living spaces—to actively shape the vision for their destinations, rather than letting development pressure or short-term tourism trends take over. - Co-Creating Responsible Tourism
Focuses on collaborative approaches where local communities, travel providers, and visitors all exercise mindfulness to balance environmental protection with local economic benefits. - Global Standards and Local Practice
Discusses practical ways to promote sustainable tourism in line with global benchmarks (such as the GSTC criteria), drawing on initiatives from the Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN) and JARTA.
You can read the full article in English via the link below:
