Tourism Studies

I never thought I would be going back to school to get a PhD in Tourism. I have heard all the comments, like, "What, tourism? What is there to learn about tourism?"

It's like if you were a tourist once, that makes you a tourism expert. Of course, we all know that understanding the deep motivations and desires of what tourists seek is not so simple. Anyway, I am studying the changing profile of the Japanese overseas traveler. The Japanese tourist today is not the same as the tourist of the 1980's. Today's tourists are a reflection of Japan's changing society.

How much has Japan changed since I completed my run in 1983? So much has changed, and yet so much has stayed the same. Convenience stores now dot the landscape in Japan, replacing the old mom and pop shops that used to be everywhere. The neighborhood rice and sake stores (Sakaya) have just about disappeared, to be replaced by discount liquor stores. The drink vending machines are still there on lonely country roads and you never have to worry about dying of thirst as long as you have some yen. Runners are pretty much respected today as they were over two decades ago, maybe even more after the Olympic marathon gold medals of Takahashi and Noguchi.

During my run across Japan, I met so many people, most that had never left the country for a vacation. At that time, only about 5 million (from a population of 120 million) Japanese went overseas for vacation. Now, approximately 17 million travel overseas. Perspectives on how they view the world have changed. An interesting observation is that I now often hear young Japanese naming all the overseas countries that they have visited, and then talk about their "wish list" of other countries that they would like to visit in the future. Unfortunately, many have not visited the other main islands of Japan, like Hokkaido or Shikoku.

Most of the young people that I see on campus were not yet born in 1983--man, that makes me feel old. Oh, I should not forget to mention that I don't recall seeing any blonde Japanese when I traveled the entire country in 1983. The only blonde I can remember from that time was Sting, singing "Every Breath You Take" on Japanese TV.