Delivered on June 29, 2026
Mapple's Vision for Tourism DX: Visualizing Regional Charms Through Paper and Digital Technology
Speakers:
Hiroyuki Shinoda, Director and Head of Regional Co-creation Division, Mapple, Inc.
Affiliation and position information is as of the time of distribution
This time, we welcomed Mr. Shinoda from Mapple,Inc as our guest and asked him about the initiatives of the company's newly established Regional Co-creation Headquarters. Leveraging the publishing and editing know-how that they have cultivated over many years, such as with Mapple Magazine and Kotorippu, they are developing tourism DX, digital tourism passports, and regional promotions for local governments and DMOs. We will introduce Mapple's efforts to visualize the charm of a region and create more visitors and people with connections to the area, including information dissemination that combines print and digital media, continuous fan building using LINE, a case study in Koto Ward, and collaborations with travel agencies and influencer companies.
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The Full Picture of Mapple's Regional Co-creation Project
Mapple has established a new "Regional Co-creation Headquarters" to support local governments and DMOs (Destination Management Organizations), based on its long-cultivated expertise in map production, publishing, and editing. This initiative aims not merely to disseminate information, but to build partnerships that deeply understand and address regional challenges.
Its greatest strength lies in its tourist-centric editing capabilities, cultivated through the Shobunsha Group's renowned brands such as "Mapple Magazine" and "Kotorippu." Utilizing its vast database (MAPPLE Guide Data) covering tourism information from across Japan, it organizes and visualizes the charms of each region. Leveraging the reliability cultivated through its traditional publishing business, it develops strategic tourism promotions that reflect the policy intentions of local governments. Based on the tourist's "pre-trip," "during-trip," and "post-trip" behavioral cycle (customer journey), it provides optimal solutions at each phase.
The Strengths of Tourism DX: A Fusion of Publishing Expertise and Digital Technology
The core of Mapple's vision for tourism DX lies in its "hybrid" information dissemination approach, combining the emotional value of print media with the functional convenience of digital technology. By leveraging the "overview" and "tactile feel" of paper brochures and maps, while providing the latest information and acquiring activity logs digitally, it enriches the tourism experience.
Using paper guidebooks and tourist maps as an entry point, users are seamlessly guided to digital content via QR codes and AR (augmented reality). The digital tourist map employs a user interface (UI) optimized for smartphone operation, enabling GPS-based location searches and route guidance. Utilizing 3D maps and vector maps, it realistically represents regional topography and terrain, fostering a sense of excitement among travelers. In addition to Japanese, multilingual support to meet the needs of inbound tourists (foreign visitors) is standard.
The Innovative Nature of the "Digital Tourism Passport " Utilizing LINE
The "Digital Tourism Passport" is attracting attention as a concrete tool for tourism DX. The biggest feature of this system is that it doesn't require the installation of a dedicated app and utilizes LINE, which users already use daily.
Because it can be used simply by adding LINE as a friend, the barrier to entry is extremely low, allowing it to reach a large number of users. Through the message delivery function, it's possible to maintain continuous contact even after visitors have visited a tourist destination, functioning as a "post-trip" measure to encourage repeat visits. A variety of functions, such as regional digital stamp rallies, coupon distribution, facility reservations, and guidance to e-commerce sites, can be consolidated into a single platform. Local governments can update content in real time and check user attributes and behavioral trends through a management screen called "PassNavi."
Creating a "Relationship Population" and Sustainable Tourism Policies through Visualization
In response to the challenge faced by many local governments where "policies end up being fleeting," Mapple proposes creating a "relationship population" through data visualization. By accumulating data on who visited where, it becomes possible to formulate tourism strategies based on objective evidence.
The system emphasizes the steps of elevating visitors from one-time tourists to repeat visitors, and then to a "relationship population (fans)" who have an attachment to the region. By introducing digital tools, we can visualize tourist movement patterns and attribute information that were previously difficult to grasp, thereby improving the accuracy of future promotions. We will analyze the acquired data and connect it to direct contributions to the local economy, such as sales of local specialty products (e-commerce), hometown tax donation programs, and guidance to migration and settlement support websites. By implementing a data-driven cycle of policy evaluation and improvement (PDCA), we will ensure budget optimization and project sustainability.
Creating New Value Through "Meta-Tourism" as Seen in the Koto Ward Case
In Koto Ward, Tokyo, an initiative called "meta-tourism" is underway to uncover the multi-layered attractions of the region beyond existing tourist spots. Mapple incorporates this "meta-tourism" concept into tourism DX, supporting the visualization of new tourism resources.
Meta-tourism is a concept that visualizes diverse values (layers) on a map, such as history and culture, anime pilgrimage sites, photogenic locations, and even "culverts" and "topography." Through workshops with experts and local residents, we extract "hidden gems" and unique tourist resources not found in conventional tourist guides. In the case of Koto Ward, we are linking local historical resources with digital technology, such as the development of sites associated with Eiichi Shibusawa and the creation of walking maps. This visualized, multi-layered information is provided as a "meta-tourism map," offering tourists an unprecedentedly in-depth travel experience.
Regional Revitalization Accelerated by External Collaboration and Diverse Promotion
Mapple's strength lies not only in its own solutions, but also in its extensive network with travel agencies, influencer marketing companies, and partner companies with AR technology. This allows us to address the diverse challenges facing a region with the optimal team.
By utilizing tourism-focused influencers and disseminating highly reliable messages to specific communities, we strengthen awareness and attract more visitors. We invite influencers familiar with the cultures and languages of various countries to create creative content that resonates with inbound tourists. We provide one-stop support tailored to the characteristics of each region, from paper brochure production to web advertising, social media management, and event organization, regardless of the method. Based on the tourism DX guidelines promoted by the Japan Tourism Agency, we also provide training and technical support to enable local DMOs and businesses to independently utilize digital technologies.
Summary
Mapple's vision for the future of tourism DX is not simply "the introduction of digital technology," but rather the integration of paper and digital to visualize the region's appeal from multiple perspectives, deepening temporary visitor attraction into continuous "relationships." In particular, the "digital tourism passport" utilizing LINE is a powerful means of building a regional customer base without compromising user convenience.
Furthermore, the promotion of "meta-tourism," exemplified by the Koto Ward case, proposes the potential assets of a region from a new perspective to today's travelers with diverse values. Through these initiatives, Mapple aims to realize data-driven sustainable regional revitalization and lead the revitalization of tourism throughout Japan. For local governments and DMOs, Mapple, with its combination of traditional editorial capabilities and cutting-edge digital technology, plays an extremely important role as a partner in tourism digital transformation.