Oita Prefecture Governor Katsusada Hirose has described a Nagasaki integrated resort as essential to promote tourism to the region and raise awareness of its unique cultural and culinary offerings.
Hirose’s remarks were made during an online meeting last week of the Kyushu Regional Strategy Council, made up of the governors of Kyushu prefectures, Yamaguchi prefecture and the heads of regional economic organizations.
“It is necessary for everyone to get excited about IR when we consider how it will promote tourism,” Hirose said.
“If we are successful with the IR project, it will be a great opportunity to build awareness of the appeal of Kyushu’s nature and food culture.”
He further called for cooperation, stating, “With the launch of the Kyushu IR Promotion Council, I hope to generate excitement throughout Kyushu. I look forward to cooperating with all of you.”
The region has been rapidly rolling out initiatives as part of its planned IR bid, including an announcement during last week’s meeting that it would establish the Kyushu Region Addiction Network Council.
Its purpose will be to network the various measures for addiction across the region and enhance protection measures should a Kyushu/Nagasaki IR become a reality. The council is scheduled to be launched this summer with members in charge of addiction countermeasures and specialized medical clinics in each prefecture.
Regarding education, the Kyushu/Nagasaki International Tourism Human Talent Development Consortium Preparatory Committee was established on 23 April. It is scheduled to be officially launched after IR area certification and aims to develop talent in the field of international tourism as a long-term investment. In a first step, a seminar aimed at developing international tourism talent in Kyushu and Nagasaki was held in February this year, and it is scheduled to be held a second time in the near future.
During addiction awareness week, the Kyushu/Nagasaki IR Safety and Security Network Council Preparatory Committee held an online seminar from 14 to 20 May on the history of gambling addiction and trends in prevention and treatment. Further, the Nagasaki Prefecture Disability Welfare Division held an online lecture on 15 May to improve awareness of the impacts of gambling and other addictions on the community and homes, in collaboration with the Nagasaki Children, Women and Persons with Disabilities Support Center.
The Kyushu IR Promotion Council (KIRC) will hold its first seminar online on 4 June (Friday) from 3pm to 5.30pm with the goal of promoting understanding of the business opportunities that IR brings to the local economy in various fields.
The Council intends to give lectures on the direct and indirect effects an IR will bring and the outlook for the local economy, with guest speakers boasting extensive experience in the IR and gaming industries taking the stage.
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