ANA Group launches ODYSSEY JAPAN Project

TOKYO, December 12, 2017 - ANA Group is proud to announce the launch of "Odyssey Japan," a project which encourages visitors from outside of Japan to explore destinations beyond the "Golden Route," an excursion of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Japan has many unique and beautiful regions and prefectures, which can be accessed conveniently via domestic flights through gateways such as Haneda, Narita, and Kansai Airports. The ANA Strategic Research Institute*1 will lead the Odyssey Japan project, working with local government authorities across Japan to develop strategies and programs that boost international tourism towards their regions.

ANA Group is capable of using its strength of having a variety of ANA Group companies that can collaborate in regards to developing tourist activities, marketing strategies, sales and promotions, as well as collecting feedback from the visitors for each region.

Tourists visiting Japan are expected to increase, particularly visitors from Europe, North America, and Australia. The Odyssey Japan project will work together with the local government authorities and capture this growing demand, especially for visitors interested in exploring culture and food unique to each Japanese region. This project will promote Food Tourism, highlighting local cuisines and offering cooking classes, sake-tasting, farm-stays, and local community events.

Starting with Tottori Prefecture

The project launched with Tottori prefecture and ANA group drew on knowledge of local experts, including Tottori City, the Association for the Promotion of Tottori Airport, and the Tottori and Inaba Tourist Network.

To start off, a sightseeing and cultural experience tour, especially designed for foreigners, was conducted. It introduced the world-famous sand dunes, the opportunity to enjoy foods made from locally-grown ingredients, and the chance to try a variety of sake at tasting sessions.

ANA Group plans to collaborate with local government authorities across other prefectures to develop similar tours and marketing campaigns to further enhance tourism in these regions.

About the "Odyssey Japan" Brand Concept

The Odyssey is an epic poem by the ancient Greek poet Homer, and an odyssey has come to mean an "important, life-changing journey" or simply an "adventure." We hope to encourage tourists from outside Japan to enjoy an adventure, visiting not only the core tourist areas such as Tokyo, Kyoto, or Hiroshima, but also delve deeper into the depths of Japan and discover more of what it has to offer. This project was named by ANA's global staff.

(Source: ANA HOLDINGS INC.)

URL: http://www.ana-exjapan.com/en/feature/odyssey/

*1 ANA Strategic Research Institute

The Institute, incorporated in April 2006 as a think tank of the ANA Group. It is involved in various projects including the promotion of regional economies and regional tourism with the aim of stimulating long-term demand for air travel, research into policies for expanding exchanges between Japan and other countries, and research into innovative new business models for using airports. This research is conducted in coordination with various groups including academic institutions and local authorities, and aims to achieve a broader scope than the usual operations of an airline.

Contact: Corporate Communications, ANA HOLDINGS INC., TEL+81-3-6735-1111, publicrelations@ana.co.jp