In September 2021, the Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) organised by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) is scheduled to be held in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The World Summit is held every year as the main event of the adventure travel industry. Travel agents operating in the sector, and industry news media flock to the country where the summit is being held that year. Before the summit, tour operators in the host country offer delegates trips showcasing the best that the country offers. Shikoku Tours (CEO: Rod Walters, Japan Inbound) and other operators were invited by the summit organisers to plan a pre-summit trip in Shikoku.
Relying on Shikoku Tours’ long experience planning tours and our relations with Shikoku’s DMOs and tourism bureaus, we researched and produced a total of six original adventure tours covering several regions of Shikoku. Tourism Shikoku is overseeing the summit activities in Shikoku, and they selected one of Shikoku Tours’ trips to represent the island at the summit.
The trip crosses Shikoku from north to south, from Ehime to Kochi. It starts in Dogo, Matsuyama, with a dinner featuring local cuisine and sake. On the first day, participants explore the Shimanami Kaido on e-bikes, learning about the pirate history of the Inland Sea. The second day is spent cycling up Mt. Ishizuchi and along the celebrated UFO Line and down into Kochi. On the third day, participants descend the Niyodo River on SUP boards. The final day is spent learning about papermaking and sake, with some gentle cycling. The tour is featured on the new JNTO Japan Adventure site.
Other trips planned by Shikoku Tours focus on the storied Shimanto River, the ancient sustainable agriculture of the Iya Valley, and the largely unknown forest railway hidden among yuzu groves in eastern Kochi. Shikoku Tours is cooperating with other travel agents around Japan to offer adventure trips on specific themes, lasting two weeks or more.
Many people think of adventure travel in terms of somewhat extreme outdoor activities, but this is largely a misconception. ATTA defines it as a combination of two of Nature, Culture, and Activity. This allows for ‘adventure’ tours that involve no exertion or risk. However, ATTA does define adventure as involving a journey of discovery and learning, so adventure travel is required to have a coherent theme. Shikoku, with its rich natural and cultural heritage, including the Shikoku Pilgrimage, is consequently an ideal venue for this kind of adventure. And Shikoku Tours, with its deep appreciation for the many stories that illuminate the present reality of Shikoku, is the ideal guide for adventure in Shikoku.
As a member of ATTA, Shikoku Tours is closely following developments in adventure travel. If you need help with establishing your own offerings in this promising segment, please contact Rod or Nakano of Shikoku Tours.