Afterthought

This is the eighth and final entry in our multi-part series on marketing Japan to affluent foreign tourists.

A growing number of people and firms within the Japanese hospitality sector now understand the importance of attracting the high-end traveler, who is likely to stay longer in country and visit destinations that may, because of time constraints, be impossible for the average tourist. With hotels like Nara’s Shisui, the experience is guaranteed to be unique and unforgettable for that cohort.

The Japanese hospitality sector, which was devastated by the closing of the country in the wake of COVID-19, is enjoying better times, to be sure, but there are still a few rain clouds overhead, the largest of which is the labor crunch. The industry finds it very difficult to attract workers, and the situation is critical. This cloud threatens to rain on the parade if the situation remains unaddressed. “Labor shortages at hotels are a national problem. According to the labor force survey by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the number of people working in the hotel industry stood at 530,000 in 2022, which is down 120,000 from before the pandemic in 2019.”¹

There are various potential solutions to this problem, but the one that we find most intriguing is what we will call the “Otetsutabi Answer.” Otetsutabi is a Shibuya-based company that matches people eager to travel with companies seeking employees. But this is not a run-of-the-mill employment agency. “Workers have to pay for their own transportation, but their lodgings are provided free of charge, and they are guaranteed to be paid the minimum wage in that area.”² The recruits can get a feel for the work, which is not limited to jobs in the hospitality sector, and also for the community in which the employer’s firm is located. There is also quite a bit of flexibility with respect to the duration of employment. Otetsutabi can be found here: https://otetsutabi.com/

For relatively unskilled jobs in the hospitality sector, such workers should be able to function effectively with a minimum amount of training, but for jobs that require servicing high-end clientele, an online, self-paced learning module could be made available to prospective workers cum travelers, which would presumably focus on etiquette, guest expectations, and the rudiments of fine food and wine.

¹Unegouchi, S. “Kyoto Hotels Facing Serious Labor Shortages,” The Japan News (November 30, 2023).

²Shimada, Y. “Japanese Service Matches Traveling Workers with Inns Hungry for Staff,” Mainichi (January 5, 2024).