Onwords, Inbound Marketing for Japan, Releases "Persona Analysis Report" for Taiwanese Visitors to Japan
Onwords, a company providing inbound marketing services for Japan, has released a "Persona Analysis Report" specifically for Taiwanese visitors to Japan, focusing on the Mimasaka area in northern Okayama Prefecture. This report aims to help local governments formulate effective tourism attraction strategies based on data, addressing the challenges of overtourism and undertourism.
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 18:30
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 10:01
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Onwords Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Go Narisawa), a subsidiary of Change Holdings Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and Executive Officer President: Daishi Fukudome), which provides inbound marketing services for Japan, announced the release of a detailed persona and regional analysis report for local governments, aimed at supporting the attraction of inbound tourists by nationality. As the first installment, the analysis report "Taiwanese Customer Model Encyclopedia in Mimasaka Area" was released, targeting Taiwanese tourists and the Mimasaka area in northern Okayama Prefecture.
■ Background
Currently, the number of inbound foreign tourists is on a recovery trend, with the annual number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2025 updating a record high of 42,683,837 people *1. Many inbound tourists are concentrated in five prefectures: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido, and Fukuoka, with approximately 70% of foreign overnight stays concentrated in the three major metropolitan areas *2. This leads to "overtourism" becoming severe in some areas due to the concentration of tourists, while many other regions face challenges in attracting inbound tourists, suffering from "undertourism," which is one of the factors hindering regional economic revitalization.
It is crucial for local governments, with their limited human and financial resources, to effectively attract inbound tourists and achieve sustainable tourism. Specifically, they face challenges such as "lack of appeal to inbound tourists" and "lack of people or organizations to consult regarding inbound measures" *3.
*1: JNTO Japan National Tourism Organization, Inbound Visitor Statistics, January-December 2025
*2: Minister's Secretariat, General Policy Division, Overtourism and Regional Revitalization, October 2025
*3: Jtb Communication Design, Current Status and Challenges of Inbound Measures for Local Governments Nationwide, September 2024
■ Contents of the Analysis Report
To address these challenges, Onwords supports local governments in planning data-driven tourism content for inbound visitors by providing detailed persona information combined with nationality and region.
1. Detailed Persona Information:
Beyond mere demographic information such as nationality and age, the report deeply analyzes the cultural background, travel motivations, information gathering channels, consumption behavior, and even potential stress points during travel for inbound visitors from each country. For example, the attached "Taiwanese Customer Model Encyclopedia" presents six specific personas, such as "Region Immersion / Intellectual Curiosity Family" and "Greedy Gourmet Active Social Group," detailing their values and behavioral characteristics.
2. Clarification of Strategy:
Based on this detailed persona information, local governments can clearly determine "which tourism resources (e.g., nature, historical culture, food, experience programs) should be appealed to which nationality of inbound visitors, and how." This enables the concrete formulation of messaging and promotion strategies that resonate with the target audience.
3. Optimal Resource Allocation:
By concentrating limited human and financial resources on the target audience and content expected to yield the most effective results, the report supports the implementation of cost-effective inbound attraction measures. For example, if inbound visitors of a specific nationality value "interaction with locals," this leads to concrete measures such as allocating resources intensively to farm stay experiences or participation programs in local events that match those needs.
■ Future Outlook
Going forward, our company plans to develop deep, hands-on support in regions across Japan and for all nationalities, using the persona information formulated in this report as a "foundation." This includes accompanying consulting for tourism content development, improving regional acceptance systems, and providing accurate information dissemination support. Through these efforts, we will contribute to data-driven sustainable tourism promotion and regional revitalization throughout Japan.
■ Comment from Yusuke Maruyama, Regional Policy Department, Regional Development Promotion Division, Mimasaka Prefectural Bureau, Okayama Prefecture
We have refined the target, which was previously broadly categorized as the "Taiwanese market," into six specific personas based on various survey data. The Mimasaka area still breathes "authentic Japan that is not overly commercialized," which overseas customers are seeking.
On the other hand, it is also true that there is a serious shortage of personnel on site and anxiety about acceptance. The model encyclopedia formulated this time summarizes tips for "omotenashi" (hospitality) that can be started effortlessly from today, rather than forcing or overreaching the local staff. By utilizing this encyclopedia as a common guideline for the region, we will work together to create an environment where local people can confidently welcome customers from all over the world, while reducing the burden and psychological hurdles on the ground.
[Onwords Inc.]
■ Background
Currently, the number of inbound foreign tourists is on a recovery trend, with the annual number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2025 updating a record high of 42,683,837 people *1. Many inbound tourists are concentrated in five prefectures: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido, and Fukuoka, with approximately 70% of foreign overnight stays concentrated in the three major metropolitan areas *2. This leads to "overtourism" becoming severe in some areas due to the concentration of tourists, while many other regions face challenges in attracting inbound tourists, suffering from "undertourism," which is one of the factors hindering regional economic revitalization.
It is crucial for local governments, with their limited human and financial resources, to effectively attract inbound tourists and achieve sustainable tourism. Specifically, they face challenges such as "lack of appeal to inbound tourists" and "lack of people or organizations to consult regarding inbound measures" *3.
*1: JNTO Japan National Tourism Organization, Inbound Visitor Statistics, January-December 2025
*2: Minister's Secretariat, General Policy Division, Overtourism and Regional Revitalization, October 2025
*3: Jtb Communication Design, Current Status and Challenges of Inbound Measures for Local Governments Nationwide, September 2024
■ Contents of the Analysis Report
To address these challenges, Onwords supports local governments in planning data-driven tourism content for inbound visitors by providing detailed persona information combined with nationality and region.
1. Detailed Persona Information:
Beyond mere demographic information such as nationality and age, the report deeply analyzes the cultural background, travel motivations, information gathering channels, consumption behavior, and even potential stress points during travel for inbound visitors from each country. For example, the attached "Taiwanese Customer Model Encyclopedia" presents six specific personas, such as "Region Immersion / Intellectual Curiosity Family" and "Greedy Gourmet Active Social Group," detailing their values and behavioral characteristics.
2. Clarification of Strategy:
Based on this detailed persona information, local governments can clearly determine "which tourism resources (e.g., nature, historical culture, food, experience programs) should be appealed to which nationality of inbound visitors, and how." This enables the concrete formulation of messaging and promotion strategies that resonate with the target audience.
3. Optimal Resource Allocation:
By concentrating limited human and financial resources on the target audience and content expected to yield the most effective results, the report supports the implementation of cost-effective inbound attraction measures. For example, if inbound visitors of a specific nationality value "interaction with locals," this leads to concrete measures such as allocating resources intensively to farm stay experiences or participation programs in local events that match those needs.
■ Future Outlook
Going forward, our company plans to develop deep, hands-on support in regions across Japan and for all nationalities, using the persona information formulated in this report as a "foundation." This includes accompanying consulting for tourism content development, improving regional acceptance systems, and providing accurate information dissemination support. Through these efforts, we will contribute to data-driven sustainable tourism promotion and regional revitalization throughout Japan.
■ Comment from Yusuke Maruyama, Regional Policy Department, Regional Development Promotion Division, Mimasaka Prefectural Bureau, Okayama Prefecture
We have refined the target, which was previously broadly categorized as the "Taiwanese market," into six specific personas based on various survey data. The Mimasaka area still breathes "authentic Japan that is not overly commercialized," which overseas customers are seeking.
On the other hand, it is also true that there is a serious shortage of personnel on site and anxiety about acceptance. The model encyclopedia formulated this time summarizes tips for "omotenashi" (hospitality) that can be started effortlessly from today, rather than forcing or overreaching the local staff. By utilizing this encyclopedia as a common guideline for the region, we will work together to create an environment where local people can confidently welcome customers from all over the world, while reducing the burden and psychological hurdles on the ground.
[Onwords Inc.]