According to Japan's Kyodo News, on the 23rd, the Chubu Regional Transport Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, along with Aichi Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, and others, named a tourism route project that runs north-south through the Tokai to Hokuriku regions as the "Rising Dragon Route," aiming to attract visitors from mainland China and Taiwan. The move is intended to draw in foreign tourists who have been discouraged due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the high value of the yen.
Other participants in the project include Nagano, Mie, Shizuoka, Gifu, Toyama, Fukui, and Shiga prefectures, totaling nine prefectures, as well as Chubu Centrair International Airport. The goal is to double the number of foreign tourist overnight stays over the next three years.
Kazuaki Kai, Director of the Chubu Regional Transport Bureau, held a press conference at Chubu Airport. With great ambition, he stated, "Although the Chubu region has many tourist resources, its international recognition is lower compared to the Kanto and Kansai areas. We hope (this project) will serve as an opportunity for people to want to visit."
The "Rising Dragon Route" gets its name from the fact that the Noto Peninsula resembles a dragon’s head. Dragons are considered auspicious and are very popular in Chinese culture, and this year also happens to be the Year of the Dragon, which is why the project was launched. The central government, local governments, and tourism industry representatives will establish a "Promotion Council" next month to study the development of specific tourism products and promotional strategies.
The Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, which runs from Chubu Airport to the Noto Peninsula, has been named the "Dragon Road" as part of the first round of promotional activities. Next month, Hong Kong tourism professionals will be invited to visit the area as part of the initial promotion. In the future, plans are also in place to develop additional tourism routes.
