NEWS

Since 2021, APU and Oita Bank have been offering an endowed lecture, which has mainly focused on exploring and utilizing tourism resources in Oita Prefecture. This year, the topics were expanded to address the revitalization of shopping streets as an additional key area of focus in solving social issues. Under the guidance of Professor Takayuki Kubo and part-time lecturer Joji Naramoto from the College of Sustainability and Tourism, APU students participated in this course along with some citizens who also joined online or in person.

The four areas of focus for this year were Saiki, Bungo-Ono, Taketa, and Beppu. With the support of Oita Bank, the course featured lectures from regional experts, where students acquired essential knowledge, followed by on-site studies where students engaged in fieldwork with stakeholders at several local facilities.

The final session took place at Sourin Square in the Oita Bank Sourin-kan building, where four student teams presented their findings. Special judges included Mr. Osamu Watanabe, Executive Director and Tourism Bureau Chief, Oita Prefecture Department of Commerce, Tourism, and Labor; Mr. Takeshi Hirohara, Director of the Oita Branch of JTB; Associate Professor Tomomi Yamane from the College of Sustainability and Tourism; and Mr. Ryunosuke Ando, CEO of HAPPIRISE and APU alumnus. Students showcased the tourism activation plans they developed from their participation in the lectures and fieldwork, and they proposed a diverse array of ideas such as specialized meditation tours, immersive fishing experiences, and new facilities promoting local industries. Given the goals of increasing tourist spending, utilizing regional resources, and creating unique experiences, the judges posed detailed questions about methods and funding, prompting each team to deepen their analysis. In the end, the team that won introduced a plan focusing on student group tourism based on survey data, which brought a unique student perspective to the concept.

Comment from Professor Takayuki Kubo

"This year, we set revitalizing shopping streets as a new goal for tourism and community development. The decline of the shopping streets in Saiki City, in particular, presented a considerable challenge even from a faculty member’s perspective. Despite such obstacles, the students came up with innovative ideas and developed actionable plans, which were truly inspiring.

A notable contribution to this year's success was the involvement of an APU graduate and former member of my seminar class, who joined Oita Bank in 2022 and now plays a key role in this course. The lectures, field visits, and connections with the APU alumni network enabled students to directly benefit from advice and insights from APU graduates close to their age.

Looking ahead, we hope to further leverage the connections and alumni network cultivated through this course to continue supporting sustainable tourism and community development in the Oita region."