The GSTC Sustainable Tourism Course, sponsored by the AiCT Consortium General Incorporated Association for their tourism stakeholders in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima, Japan, concluded successfully. From March 26 to 28, 2024, 26 participants attended the three-day training in Japanese.
GSTC Trainer Mami Futagami, Dr. Professor Emeritus at Meijo University, led the course. “Aizuwakamatsu is one of the pioneering cities in promoting smart city projects in Japan through digital transformation. The city is also renowned for its rich cultural heritage and samurai legacy. The course participants were strongly motivated to learn the global sustainable tourism criteria to utilize their cultural and historical assets for tourism sustainably, minimizing adverse impacts on the local community, and innovatively, maximizing benefits of digital transformation,” said GSTC Trainer Dr. Mami Futagami.
The class also visited Sazaedo Temple, nationally designated as an Important Cultural Property, to appreciate its unique double-helix architectural design. Nearby the picturesque temple, they walked through the path toward the historical site where the Aizu samurai legacy remains.
The participants further toured the Nanokamachi Street area, located at the western gate of the castle town, where they learned how the Nanokamachi Street Townscape Council had contributed to preserving and restoring historic buildings and transforming the area into an attractive streetscape. Currently, the area is a model tourist area in Aizuwakamatsu City and is visited by about 300,000 tourists annually.
Upon successful course completion, participants receive a certificate of completion and become eligible to take an optional official exam to obtain the GSTC Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism.
If you are interested in contributing to the industry’s sustainable transformation, consider checking out GSTC’s upcoming courses here.
