THE first edition of Blossom Japan got off to a flying start with not one buyer or exhibitor seemingly having a bad word to say about the new kid on the block, brainchild of Jay Martens who previously helped set up one of Asia’s most successful luxury travel shows.
Two years in the planning, Blossom, which was staged at the Tokyo International Forum, attracted 120 exhibitors from around the world such as Silversea cruises, Wilderness Safaris from South Africa, the UAE’s Emirates Palace and the Leading Hotels of the World group alongside Japanese companies such as Private Concierge, which arranges one-off experiences for high-end travellers visiting Japan, and the gorgeous boutique L’Hotel du Lac, at Nagahama.
Around 180 buyers came from more than 30 countries including the UK and Europe, North and South America, Oman and Saudi Arabia as well as from within Japan and many of the country’s Asian neighbours including Korea and China.
They were chosen from more than 350 applicants and all had met strict qualifying criteria of being at decision-making level.
Aimed specifically at the luxury travel segment, the event, organised by Martens‘ company Lucioles, consisted of three days of meetings preceded by an opening forum at which attendees heard that Japan, though traditionally a society where it is challenging to do business, also has the world‘s second greatest number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) coming only after the US.
The audience heard from Yoshihara Hoshino, president of Hoshino Resorts and a progressive reformer who is insisting that his properties make increased efforts to attract international visitors such as speaking other languages and providing a wider variety of food.
He said: “In the past, Japan has not really gone out of its way to promote the country to international travellers because we have been able to thrive from our own domestic market, but I believe that’s now changing and Japan is starting to adapt and wants to be more open to international luxury travellers.“
Professor Yoshihara Tsuboi, chairman of the Blossom Japan Welcome Committee, added: “We would like to send a very clear message that Japan truly welcomes international travellers, even if we have not always known fully how best to welcome them.
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Uniform stand design gave an intimate and very Japanese feel |
“Blossom Japan is a welcome step in bridging the gap between the Japanese and international travel industries and I believe marks a new era for us.“
Also appearing at the forum was Jose Mariano Lopez-Urdiales, CEO of zero2infinity, a Spanish company that is developing high-altitude balloons which, within the next few years, will enable mere mortals to experience space without undergoing astronaut training.
Holding the audience enthralled with a view of Earth from 36 km up, Lopez-Urdiales said: “I can guarantee you that in five years time, this is the sort of offering all high-end travel companies will want to have in their portfolios.“
Over the four days those attending were able to take advantage of a series of networking events showcasing some of Tokyo’s most prestigious hotels including the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, the Mandarin Oriental, the ANA InterContinental Hotel Tokyo and the iconic Park Hyatt and Imperial Palace.
While on the exhibition floor, exhibitors and buyers rounded off each day’s meetings with traditional Japanese cocktails and sweets.
Over the course of the three days exhibitors and buyers held around 6,400 appointments and Martens said: “We are truly excited that, after two years of planning, research and sheer tenacity, we have delivered this event which, by all accounts, in terms of the quality of buyers and exhibitors and the very enthusiastic response we have received from the industry, fills a significant gap in the market.”
He plans to keep Blossom small and exclusive with steady growth over the next five years which will eventually see exhibitors capped at 500.
“The aim here was to make it as intimate as possible, that is something everyone I have spoken to has really appreciated and I want to maintain that. Keeping the numbers manageable also means we will be able to continue to stage the evening networking events which have proved really valuable in terms of additional face-to-face contact while giving participants a chance to interact in a relaxed setting.“
Speaking of the traditional inaccessibility of the Japanese market Martens added: “The culture is risk averse and they must have been pretty shocked to have this crazy foreigner come here and say ‘I’m going to change your world’.
“I think if I had tried to do this five years ago, it wouldn’t have worked but, following the economic downturn, the Japanese are now looking at inbound tourism. They have previously been able to do well from their own domestic market but they are now beginning to see the value of what they have got.
“The way of looking at Japan is like the statue of the thinker...only sitting on a diamond. Everyone here wants to encourage people to come and see what this amazing country has to offer.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page is a very famous quote and it is what drives me.”
Next year’s event is already set for Kyoto, a very ancient city with 25 Unesco World Heritage sites and around 1,000 ryokans, which are traditional Japanese inns. The date is expected to be around February 14 and, with customary enthusiasm, Martens is already considering a theme around falling in love with Kyoto to coincide with Valentine’s Day.