Message to those aiming for the School of Tourism Sciences and Design, College of Transdisciplinary Sciences for Innovation

　It is said that modern tourism began in the 1840’s since guidebooks by Thomas Cook were published.
　Now, about 180 years later, transportation and communication tools have developed, and people are easily connected to the world through digital and mobile devices. Furthermore, through the COVID-19 pandemic, our lives have been changing to a new normal.

　Shape and form of “travel” is changing significantly. New and diverse types of tourism are getting popular.
　There is a phenomenon that ordinary places, which are not famous places or anything, attract surprisingly many people depending on the stories that go with. For example, a small local shrine turning into Mecca of anime, a local factory turning into a base for industrial tourism, a candy store in the countryside attracting 3 million customers, etc.

　The catch phrase “Travel like living” has become popular, and now another option is available: “Live like traveling.”
　You can now work and learn while moving from one location to another. You can also enjoy sightseeing virtually without physically moving.
　Where to live used to be limited by work, but once you can work anywhere, you have a choice of where to live. “Tourism and Community Design” utilizing the environmental and cultural attractions is directly linked to regional revitalization. The concept of “Related Population” has spread widely and the barrier between resident population and visitor population is fading.
　These will fundamentally change the way people live, create new services and businesses, and at the same time, create new social issues.

　The definition of “tourism” will probably change as well. In the context of modern tourism, tourism used to be considered as “a travel to an extraordinary area” and “one of leisure activities,” but now, it has become a part of everyday life. We are discussing how to capture tourism in a wider scope than ever, in the form of “diverse lifestyles with mobility and empathy.”
　By 2030 or so, the following will be much more developed than today.
　First of all, we will have to think about community design in a way that includes not only permanent residents but also people who travel. A tourist will be more of a participant than a consumer, seeking different encounters and interactions in multiple different areas. Accurate understanding and managing the information of people and things moving around will have a significance in social infrastructure. I believe that tourism as a whole will change into one based on “smart systems.”

　In addition to conventional needs for tourism (the market is also expanding due to the entry of consumers from emerging countries), the School of Tourism Sciences and Design at Kanazawa University aims to develop human resources who will be in charge of these new innovations in tourism.

　One of the characteristics of this school is the interdisciplinary education. It combines the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences to improve the ability to plan and execute projects. In order to design future tourism, you need to know about mathematical and data analysis, design skills, business skills, etc. Even if you are not fully familiar with all of them, learning their professional roles and how to combine and manage them will lead to the development of tourism design.

　Another feature of this school is its emphasis on practical subjects from early on in the school year. While directly involved in local tourism projects, students are trained to solve problems by combining specialized and practical knowledge.
　Especially here, the Hokuriku and Kanazawa area is full of tourism resources. We hope the students will take full advantage of this regional field and become practitioners of regional tourism innovation.

　In addition to going on to graduate school, the paths of graduates include not only travel and lodging industries, but also planning and analysis of various industries that want to utilize tourism “empathy” in product planning, experts on the policy-making organizations, and entrepreneurs who develop their own projects.

　The College of Transdisciplinary Sciences for Innovation aims to serve as a human resources development institution that “leads innovations with interdisciplinary knowledge.” We look forward to your participation in designing the future of tourism.