Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle
Great to Share with Your Clients

Blue Skies Ahead at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics

by Steve Gillick / December 04, 2019
Blue Skies Ahead at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics

Photo: Shutterstock.com 


Probably the best view from on high in Tokyo is from the 47th floor Sky Stage, the open rooftop of the new Shibuya Scramble Square. It opened on Nov. 1, and affords an absolutely incredible 360-degree panorama of the city. 

During a recent visit, I noted the words engraved on a clear window that showcased a vast blue, sunny sky filled with billowy white clouds, which described the Sky Stage Rooftop as: “A stage flung open to the sky. Shibuya at your feet, Tokyo all around you – both connected to the world beyond. At the centre of everything you stand, one with the sky.”

One floor below, in the Sky Gallery, the Datascape screens allow visitors to see the sky at the present moment in various cities around the world (Los Angeles, Stockholm, etc.) with the message that the sky unites all peoples and all countries. And near the Time River (“Touch the flow of time.  Be aware of yourself in this moment.”), we were reminded that at the Sky Edge, you can sidle up to the windows as close as possible and look straight down 230 meters to street level to view the famous Shibuya Scramble.   

The overall theme of unity (people, the sky, architecture, time) is a way of connecting Shibuya Scramble Square visitors with the city of Tokyo like they have never experienced before.

And I could not ignore the fact that the observation decks offer great views of the new Olympic Stadium that, by itself, carries the message of unity, connections, diversity, inclusiveness and sustainability. Both the Olympic Stadium and Shibuya Scramble Square were designed by the renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, whose other works in the frenetic city of Tokyo tend to emphasize space, nature, simplicity, reflection, and humanity.  

It’s all about connections
The tie-in between the two architectural wonders lies in the concept of “connections.” When it comes to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, sports tourists (reportedly a 7-billion-dollar industry), travelers, Olympics followers, and Japan aficionados, both domestic and international, are buzzing with enthusiasm. Two hundred thousand applications have been received so far for the 80,000 volunteer positions (and by the way, speaking Japanese is not an absolute requirement). Five hundred thousand people have applied to participate for one of the 10,000 spots in the Olympic Torch Relay, and 7.5 million people have signed up for the Olympic ticket lottery.  

In a conversation with Meredith Thatcher, the manager of international communications for the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, she spoke about the incredible opportunity for Tokyo 2020 to leave a meaningful and lasting legacy not only for future Olympic games, not only for travelers to Japan, but also for the Japanese people and particularly the youth.  She noted that the “hard legacy” consisted of the venues constructed for these Olympic Games, as well as the architecture that would contribute to the lifeblood of the city.

But Meredith also acknowledged the “soft legacy,” whereby the Games would demonstrate that a major event can be held in the middle of a major city and still be sustainable. And this idea has engaged ordinary Tokyoites through initiatives such as the “used plastic waste” program and the “used electronics” program (e.g., “My old cell phone helped to produce the Olympic medals”). She said, “It’s a matter of involvement.”

Focusing on youth, accessibility, and managing crowds
One of the key focus areas of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is on youth, especially with five new sports added to the roster: baseball and softball (both of which are hugely popular in Japan), karate (a sport that originated in Japan and is practiced internationally), skateboarding (the official media guide refers to this as “the most innovative addition to the games in history”), sport climbing (with the suggestion that the emphasis on “higher, faster and stronger” will bring a new vertical dimension to the Games), and surfing (described as a “blend of high-performance style and digital connectivity that holds great appeal to young people around the world”).

Another lasting legacy is the emphasis on accessibility. While Tokyo is currently not the most accessible city in the world, new regulations and renovation of facilities from the 1964 Olympics are setting precedents for future construction in the city. 

And what about the crowds? We can harken back to the Shibuya Scramble that is featured in many movies (“Lost in Translation,” for example) in order to depict the huge crowds on the streets of Tokyo. In fact, the Scramble is a multi-sided street intersection. People wait when the traffic lights are red (and it can get very crowded at peak times) and then when the lights simultaneously turn green, pedestrians, en masse, cross horizontally and diagonally. 

But Tokyo is aware of potential crowds during the Olympics and has developed management programs such as Traffic Demand and Traffic Systems that will mitigate road congestion and coordinate the public transportation systems with the game times.

Aside from the city’s many hotels (available in all categories from 5-star to capsule), Tokyo is promoting the use of alternatives such as Airbnb. Such private accommodations fall under the category of “minpaku” and Japan has very strict regulations regarding the operation of these type of facilities.

A living city
Unique to the Tokyo 2020 Games, there will be no formal Olympic Park, as the various competitions are integrated into the city. Meredith commented that visitors will feel they are in a living city and not just a bubble. There will be live viewing areas not only in Tokyo, but in other cities around the country. And with the emphasis on “connecting,” the Nippon Festival, which is part of the build-up to the games, will promote Japanese culture with dances, plays, participatory activities, and artistic displays. The theme is diversity and inclusion, and will involve members of the LGBT community as well as those with disabilities.

For overseas visitors, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (July 24 to Aug. 9, 2020) and Paralympics (Aug. 25 to Sept. 6, 2020) will be real eye-openers. Tomoko Kikuchi, the manager of the Tokyo 2020 Projects Section of the Japan National Tourism Organization suggested that those who attended the 1964 Olympics or saw those Games on television, will marvel at how the city of Tokyo has matured into a major world center of art, fashion, gastronomy, entertainment, architecture, transportation, and more, with tons of things to do for visitors of all ages. 

And for those who seek to explore other areas of the Japan, Tokyo is a great stepping off point to see surfing in Chiba, basketball in Saitama, baseball in Fukushima and Yokohama, football in Miyagi and Ibaraki, golf in Kasumigaseki, sailing in Enoshima, cycling in Izu, and the marathon in Sapporo … or for non-Olympic sightseeing, there are the 1,001 cities and towns throughout the country.

These days, travelers are seeking meaningful connections on their journeys and Tokyo is enthusiastically responding. It’s blue skies ahead in 2020. Something to mention to your clients for their next adventure.

  0
  0
Related Articles
Return to Japan: Intrepid Travel Leads Surge of New Tours
Visa-Free Travel to Japan Starts Today
Japan to Officially Drop Daily Traveler Limit, Lift Ban on Individual Travel in October
Report: Japan’s Visa-Free Travel to Start in October
Report: Japan Set to Change Visa Requirements, Allow Individual Travelers this Week
Japan to Double Tourist Cap Next Month, But Hurdles Remain for Travelers
New Opening: The Westin Yokohama, Marriott's Newest Japan Hotel
Japan Could Boot Tourists Who Disobey COVID-19 Rules
Japan Confirms Plan to Start Its Travel Reopening This Month
JW Marriott Is Coming to Tokyo in 2025

MOST VIEWED

  1. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  2. FAA Closes Three U.S. Airports Over National Security Risk
  3. Norwegian Cruise Line Brings Back COVID-19 Requirements
  4. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  5. What’s New in Travel Agent FAM Trips
  6. U.S. Embassy Issues Security Alert for Mexico After Cancun Taxi Protests

MOST EMAILED

  1. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  2. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  3. Visitors to the U.K. Will Soon Need to Pay an Application Fee Prior to Travel
  4. Here Are the Automatic & Suggested Gratuity Policies for Each Major Cruise Line
  5. Beverage Carry-On & Corkage Fee Policies by Cruise Line
  6. Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
What to Know About Travel to Cyprus in 2023
What to Know About Travel to Cyprus in 2023

An island steeped in history and culture, Cyprus is having a moment.

Read...
Hurtigruten Offers 2-for-1 Deal on Galapagos Sailings
Hurtigruten Offers 2-for-1 Deal on Galapagos Sailings

Bookings must be made and deposited by February 15, 2023. 

Read...
Seven Extraordinary Culinary Experiences for Foodie Travelers
Seven Extraordinary Culinary Experiences for Foodie Travelers

Seven experiences perfect for clients looking for culinary adventures. 

Read...
Viking to Add New Ship on Seine
Viking to Add New Ship on Seine

A fifth Viking Longship is coming to the Seine in 2025. 

Read...
USVI Tourism Poised for a Huge Year
USVI Tourism Poised for a Huge Year

New hotels, restaurants, and excursions highlight the United States Virgin Islands' plans for 2023. 

Read...
VisitBritain Appoints New Executive Vice President for Americas
VisitBritain Appoints New Executive Vice President for Americas

VisitBritain made two major appointments this week. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
Celebrate National Don’t Plan for Vacation Day with Delta Vacations
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy