Held on July 23, 2025: Fermentation tourism evangelist talks about his experience and hopes

Reporter: Makiko Akasaki, Secretary General of the Chubu Inbound Sales Project (CISP)

Nagoya and Aichi are the only ones losing out when it comes to inbound tourism to Japan. The skipping of Nagoya by international flag carriers has led to a significant disparity in the region's tourism economy. One person working to turn this around is Makiko Akasaki of the Chubu Inbound Sales Project (CISP).
While working primarily as a content creator and author of travel-related books, Ms. Akasaki has also achieved outstanding results as a salesperson, winning numerous contracts and bidding for national tourism projects. She also serves as a manager, serving on local government committees and external organizations.
Behind her business growth so far, she says, she has always encountered talented people who have always supported her. During the Q&A session, she shared her experiences of meeting these people and discussed how to apply them to our business.
Fermentation tourism is currently the most popular inbound tourism content among tourism-related businesses in Aichi Prefecture and the region. It was reaffirmed that CISP and the Aichi Inbound Association will work together as mutual members to move this forward.