"City Promotion & Tourism DX Survey Report" Released, Based on Survey of 273 Local Governments and DMOs Nationwide - About Half of Municipalities Have "Dual-Role" Staff, and 70% of DMOs Struggle with "Continuous SNS Operation"
The Government DX Promotion Council (GDX) has released a survey report targeting 273 local governments and DMOs across Japan. The findings reveal that about half of the municipalities have staff handling tourism promotion in a dual-role capacity, and nearly 70% of DMOs face challenges in maintaining their social media operations, highlighting resource constraints in regional tourism.
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- 📰 Published: May 16, 2026 at 03:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 15, 2026 at 18:32
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 15, 2026 at 19:50 (1h 18m after Collected)
The Government DX Promotion Council (GDX), a general incorporated association based in Minato-ku, Tokyo, has released a report summarizing the results of its "City Promotion & Tourism DX Survey," which gathered responses from 273 organizations, including 194 local governments and 79 DMOs (Destination Management Organizations) nationwide.
For regional tourism promotion, it is essential for "local governments," which support the social infrastructure from a regional management perspective, and "DMOs," which are responsible for "earning" through specialized marketing, to work together like two wheels of a cart. This report visualizes the current position, roles, and challenges of both by analyzing them in parallel.
We hope this report will be useful for those in charge of city promotion and tourism DX, DMO personnel involved in tourism-based community development, and businesses developing related projects.
Click here to request the survey report資料
*If the above link does not open, please contact pr@gdx.or.jp.
"Three Key Points" from the Survey Results
Point 1 | About half of local governments have staff in "dual roles" - A structural issue lurking in the promotion system
About half of the local governments have staff in charge of city promotion and tourism measures while also handling other duties. Only about 20% have established a specialized department, indicating that only a minority of municipalities have been able to secure specialized resources.
Point 2 | About 70% of DMOs struggle with "continuous SNS operation" - The ideal and reality of digital utilization
The use of SNS, including Instagram, is widespread among both local governments and DMOs. However, the biggest operational challenge cited by both was "maintaining a system for continuous updates." This issue was particularly prominent for DMOs, with nearly 70% citing it, highlighting the gap between the ideal of digitalization and the reality of the human resources and budgets to support it.
Point 3 | Tourism promotion challenges differ greatly between "local governments" and "DMOs"
As their biggest tourism challenge, local governments cited "sluggish growth or decline in tourist numbers," while DMOs ranked "delay in handling inbound tourism" and "lack of tourism data collection and utilization" higher. A clear difference in problem awareness emerged between the two entities responsible for tourism promotion in the same region.
For the full "City Promotion & Tourism DX Survey Report," please inquire below.
Click here for the report request page
*If the above link does not open, please contact pr@gdx.or.jp.
■ Information on a related seminar based on this survey
This survey revealed common challenges, such as about half of municipalities having staff in "dual roles" for tourism and city promotion, and about 70% of DMOs struggling with the continuous operation of SNS, highlighting the issue of "how to advance digital utilization with limited human resources and budgets on the ground."
Based on these survey results, GDX will co-host the following online seminar with Bridgewell Inc. as a new option for tourism DX that addresses the real constraints on the ground.
(Duplicate paragraph removed for clarity)
▼Click here to apply
Seminar on Utilizing "Spot AI (ToyTalk)" to Solve Tourism and Regional Issues
▼Click here for seminar details
'Should We Stop Making Tourism Apps? A Seminar on Utilizing "Spot AI (ToyTalk)" to Solve Tourism and Regional Issues'
*If the above link does not open, please contact pr@gdx.or.jp.
The Government DX Promotion Council (GDX) is an organization that aims for the sustainable development of local communities by promoting digital transformation in municipalities. In collaboration with each local government, we support the resolution of regional issues and the creation of innovation using digital technology.
We provide a partnership platform to serve as a bridge between local governments and businesses, accelerating regional revitalization through digital transformation. Please feel free to contact us.
For inquiries about this press release, please contact:
Government DX Promotion Council (GDX) Secretariat
Phone: 03-6683-0106 Email: info@gdx.or.jp
https://www.gdx.or.jp/contact/
For regional tourism promotion, it is essential for "local governments," which support the social infrastructure from a regional management perspective, and "DMOs," which are responsible for "earning" through specialized marketing, to work together like two wheels of a cart. This report visualizes the current position, roles, and challenges of both by analyzing them in parallel.
We hope this report will be useful for those in charge of city promotion and tourism DX, DMO personnel involved in tourism-based community development, and businesses developing related projects.
Click here to request the survey report資料
*If the above link does not open, please contact pr@gdx.or.jp.
"Three Key Points" from the Survey Results
Point 1 | About half of local governments have staff in "dual roles" - A structural issue lurking in the promotion system
About half of the local governments have staff in charge of city promotion and tourism measures while also handling other duties. Only about 20% have established a specialized department, indicating that only a minority of municipalities have been able to secure specialized resources.
Point 2 | About 70% of DMOs struggle with "continuous SNS operation" - The ideal and reality of digital utilization
The use of SNS, including Instagram, is widespread among both local governments and DMOs. However, the biggest operational challenge cited by both was "maintaining a system for continuous updates." This issue was particularly prominent for DMOs, with nearly 70% citing it, highlighting the gap between the ideal of digitalization and the reality of the human resources and budgets to support it.
Point 3 | Tourism promotion challenges differ greatly between "local governments" and "DMOs"
As their biggest tourism challenge, local governments cited "sluggish growth or decline in tourist numbers," while DMOs ranked "delay in handling inbound tourism" and "lack of tourism data collection and utilization" higher. A clear difference in problem awareness emerged between the two entities responsible for tourism promotion in the same region.
For the full "City Promotion & Tourism DX Survey Report," please inquire below.
Click here for the report request page
*If the above link does not open, please contact pr@gdx.or.jp.
■ Information on a related seminar based on this survey
This survey revealed common challenges, such as about half of municipalities having staff in "dual roles" for tourism and city promotion, and about 70% of DMOs struggling with the continuous operation of SNS, highlighting the issue of "how to advance digital utilization with limited human resources and budgets on the ground."
Based on these survey results, GDX will co-host the following online seminar with Bridgewell Inc. as a new option for tourism DX that addresses the real constraints on the ground.
(Duplicate paragraph removed for clarity)
▼Click here to apply
Seminar on Utilizing "Spot AI (ToyTalk)" to Solve Tourism and Regional Issues
▼Click here for seminar details
'Should We Stop Making Tourism Apps? A Seminar on Utilizing "Spot AI (ToyTalk)" to Solve Tourism and Regional Issues'
*If the above link does not open, please contact pr@gdx.or.jp.
The Government DX Promotion Council (GDX) is an organization that aims for the sustainable development of local communities by promoting digital transformation in municipalities. In collaboration with each local government, we support the resolution of regional issues and the creation of innovation using digital technology.
We provide a partnership platform to serve as a bridge between local governments and businesses, accelerating regional revitalization through digital transformation. Please feel free to contact us.
For inquiries about this press release, please contact:
Government DX Promotion Council (GDX) Secretariat
Phone: 03-6683-0106 Email: info@gdx.or.jp
https://www.gdx.or.jp/contact/