Japanese Agents Learn About Travel in Sedona and Las Vegas
Fifty Japanese travel agents recently participated in a travel-trade seminar organized by the Sedona (Arizona) Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau, Las Vegas (Nevada) Convention and Visitors Authority, and American Airlines on Dec. 12, 2018, at Hilton Tokyo.
Chieko Tashiro, public relations director, Brand USA Japan, presented opening remarks. She introduced Brand USA’s travel-trade website, and spoke about the tour-planning competition hosted by Travel Journal, one of Japan’s leading magazines for the travel industry. Brand USA is a primary sponsor of the competition, which encourages agents in Japan to develop U.S.-travel products.
Tashiro also presented a trailer of Brand USA’s second, giant-screen documentary, “America’s Musical Journey.” The film, released early last year, traces the evolution of the signature styles of American music as they correlate to iconic locations throughout the United States.
The travel agents represented tour operators, mid- and small-sized agencies, and online travel agencies.
Training at H.I.S. Agency
Brand USA Japan partnered with United Airlines to present a travel-trade seminar for agents at H.I.S. Fukuoka, Japan’s second-largest travel agency. The event, held Jan. 9, at the agency’s office in Fukuoka, was designed to inspire H.I.S. agents to expand their range of U.S.-bound travel products.
H.I.S., established in 1980, operates 283 branch offices in Japan. Overall, H.I.S. has 556 branches in 305 cities around the globe.
Fukuoka is located on the northern edge of the Japanese island of Kyushu. It has 1.5 million inhabitants. United provides daily flights from Fukuoka to Guam. Direct flights run 3 hours, 45 minutes.
Visit USA Holiday Party
Nearly two dozen of Brand USA’s industry partners joined with Brand USA Japan at the Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo, Dec. 10, 2018, to help stage the Visit USA Christmas party. Visit USA Committee Japan arranges the annual event. Fifty guests from Japan’s travel industry attended.
Representatives of Brand USA Japan highlighted Brand USA’s travel-trade website and Brand USA’s giant-screen film, “America’s Musical Journey.”
The following partners participated:
Delta Air Lines; DFS; Disney Destination International; Great River Road in Illinois; Hertz; Hyatt; Las Vegas (Nevada) Convention and Visitors Authority; Marianas Visitors Authority; Marriott; Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism; Mississippi River Country USA; San Diego (California) Tourism Authority; San Francisco (California) Travel; Sedona (Arizona) Chamber of Commerce; Tour America; Travel Oregon; United Airlines; U.S. Embassy; U.S. Travel Association; Visit California; Visit Denver (Colorado), The Convention & Visitors Bureau; Visit Seattle (Washington); and Wyoming Office of Tourism.