Adventure Travel

Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS 2023)

When: 11-14 September 2023Venue: Sapporo Convention CenterDelegates: 773 from 64 countries/regionsThe Adventure Travel World Summit 2023, the annual flagship event of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) was the first ATWS held in Asia-Pacific. ATWS brings together hundreds of industry professionals (guides, tour operators, media, etc.) for several days of education, business exchange, and exploration of the host destination via the multi-day Pre-Summit Adventures (PSAs) and the Day of Adventure (DOA) held on the first day of the Summit. With 22 PSA and 31 DOA courses crafted by the Local Organizing Committee, delegates got to experience some of unique adventure products available in Hokkaido and other parts of Japan.Adventure Travel (AT) is often referred to as travel that contains two or more components among outdoor activities, nature and cultural experience. Hokkaido has a strong advantage when it comes to these three components. A survey conducted by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) during ATWS indicated that the AT content of high interest was the interaction with locals, food, and traditional culture experience, in addition to activities and nature experience. On the other hand, low English proficiency of guides and limited information on the destination were among the issues that still needed improvement._Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Regional Director - APACHokkaido hosting APAC’s first ever Adventure Travel World Summit has certainly had an impact on how adventure is perceived in the region, both from outside and inside. Our buyers, who were mainly from outside the APAC region, loved experiencing how different Hokkaido was from previous ATWS destination hosts, and really enjoyed how the event combined ATTA’s programming with the rich nature and culture that Hokkaido and Japan have to explore. As I engage with destinations from the region, I am seeing a growing interest in the adventure segment as a way to combat over-tourism - and with it, a keen interest in how Hokkaido started its adventure travel journey with ATTA, leading it to become the host of ATWS 2023. I am sure that more APAC destinations will follow in Japan’s footsteps - and I also know that ATWS is not the end of Hokkaido’s adventure travel journey - rather, it is the start of an even greater awareness of the destination worldwide, as an adventure travel hub.©ATTA

Radio Science

The 35th URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS 2023)

When: 19-26 August 2023Venue: Sapporo Convention CenterDelegates: 1,434 from 49 countries/regionsOrganized by the International Union of Radio Science (URSI), the URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS) is an international conference that has been held once every three years since 1919. The development of radio science plays an extremely important role in supporting today’s ICT society, as well as monitoring of global environment and management of natural disaster risks. This was the third URSI GASS held in Japan, first held in Tokyo in 1963 and then Kyoto in 1993. Under the theme “the future opened up by radio science toward a sustainable society”, various cutting-edge research results were presented and discussed by scientists and engineers from around the world. The congress is expected to contribute to the development of future generation of researchers, as well as the advancement of the radio science activities in Asia Pacific._Technical TourThe Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) has over 35 radar sites at middle to high latitude areas in both northern and southern hemispheres of the earth. Sapporo Convention Bureau supported the organization of the post-conference technical visit to one of these radars located in Rikubetsu Town in the eastern part of Hokkaido (also known to be the coldest town in Japan). During the two-night tour, delegates visited the Rikubetsu Space and Earth Science Museum (Galaxy Forest Observatory) and the SuperDARN Hokkaido HF Radar in Rikubetsu, with the latter accompanied by Associate Professor Nozomu Nishitani, who leads the SuperDARN project at the Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research at Nagoya University._Public Event “Experience the Invisible Radio Waves”On the last day of the conference, a science workshop on how radio science technologies are utilized in everyday life was organized for elementary school students (and their parents) in Sapporo and Rikubetsu Town. Supported by the students from Hokkaido Information University, children made a germanium radio, which does not require batteries, and their parents made a large receiver antenna – quite tricky but a useful device that could be helpful at the time of power outages or natural disasters with disrupted communication. The workshop was followed by an online networking session between Sapporo and Rikubetsu and a science show organized by the Sapporo Science Center.

Planetary Sciences

The 82nd Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (MetSoc 2019)

Returning to Japan after a hiatus of over 10 years, the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society was held at Hokkaido University in Sapporo from July 7-12, 2019. When it comes to the spaces sciences, Hokkaido University is one of the leading research institutes in Japan, and its breadth of expertise and local knowledge was one of the compelling reasons MetSoc chose Sapporo as host-city.From the first stages of the bidding process in October 2014 to the actual meeting in July 2019, Sapporo Convention Bureau provided support every step of the way. The tea ceremony and Japanese calligraphy, cultural programs arranged by the bureau, were a particular hit, drawing almost a third of the attendees and lending atmosphere to the venue._3, 2, 1...Touchdown!The JAXA Hayabusa2 Asteroid Explorer made a timely landing on the asteroid Ryugu during the meeting. Attendees crowded together to watch the live feed, breaking into cheers and applause when the probe successfully made contact._Local ImpactIn honor of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Yamato Meteorites in the Antarctic, organizers held an open lecture for Sapporo residents, making an impact on the community and sparking new interest in the field._On-SiteAfter a productive few days of lectures and poster sessions at Hokkaido University, delegates set out on field trips to the Horoman Peridotite Complex and the Mt. Apoi Geopark, a wonderful opportunity to see Hokkaido peridotite first-hand and exchange knowledge with local experts._Rock, or rice ball?Look twice before you take a bite! Organizers offered their own clever spin on the Japanese rice ball, making them in the likeness of meteorites using black seaweed.

Adventure Travel

Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS 2023)

When: 11-14 September 2023Venue: Sapporo Convention CenterDelegates: 773 from 64 countries/regionsThe Adventure Travel World Summit 2023, the annual flagship event of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) was the first ATWS held in Asia-Pacific. ATWS brings together hundreds of industry professionals (guides, tour operators, media, etc.) for several days of education, business exchange, and exploration of the host destination via the multi-day Pre-Summit Adventures (PSAs) and the Day of Adventure (DOA) held on the first day of the Summit. With 22 PSA and 31 DOA courses crafted by the Local Organizing Committee, delegates got to experience some of unique adventure products available in Hokkaido and other parts of Japan.Adventure Travel (AT) is often referred to as travel that contains two or more components among outdoor activities, nature and cultural experience. Hokkaido has a strong advantage when it comes to these three components. A survey conducted by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) during ATWS indicated that the AT content of high interest was the interaction with locals, food, and traditional culture experience, in addition to activities and nature experience. On the other hand, low English proficiency of guides and limited information on the destination were among the issues that still needed improvement._Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Regional Director - APACHokkaido hosting APAC’s first ever Adventure Travel World Summit has certainly had an impact on how adventure is perceived in the region, both from outside and inside. Our buyers, who were mainly from outside the APAC region, loved experiencing how different Hokkaido was from previous ATWS destination hosts, and really enjoyed how the event combined ATTA’s programming with the rich nature and culture that Hokkaido and Japan have to explore. As I engage with destinations from the region, I am seeing a growing interest in the adventure segment as a way to combat over-tourism - and with it, a keen interest in how Hokkaido started its adventure travel journey with ATTA, leading it to become the host of ATWS 2023. I am sure that more APAC destinations will follow in Japan’s footsteps - and I also know that ATWS is not the end of Hokkaido’s adventure travel journey - rather, it is the start of an even greater awareness of the destination worldwide, as an adventure travel hub.©ATTA

Radio Science

The 35th URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS 2023)

When: 19-26 August 2023Venue: Sapporo Convention CenterDelegates: 1,434 from 49 countries/regionsOrganized by the International Union of Radio Science (URSI), the URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS) is an international conference that has been held once every three years since 1919. The development of radio science plays an extremely important role in supporting today’s ICT society, as well as monitoring of global environment and management of natural disaster risks. This was the third URSI GASS held in Japan, first held in Tokyo in 1963 and then Kyoto in 1993. Under the theme “the future opened up by radio science toward a sustainable society”, various cutting-edge research results were presented and discussed by scientists and engineers from around the world. The congress is expected to contribute to the development of future generation of researchers, as well as the advancement of the radio science activities in Asia Pacific._Technical TourThe Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) has over 35 radar sites at middle to high latitude areas in both northern and southern hemispheres of the earth. Sapporo Convention Bureau supported the organization of the post-conference technical visit to one of these radars located in Rikubetsu Town in the eastern part of Hokkaido (also known to be the coldest town in Japan). During the two-night tour, delegates visited the Rikubetsu Space and Earth Science Museum (Galaxy Forest Observatory) and the SuperDARN Hokkaido HF Radar in Rikubetsu, with the latter accompanied by Associate Professor Nozomu Nishitani, who leads the SuperDARN project at the Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research at Nagoya University._Public Event “Experience the Invisible Radio Waves”On the last day of the conference, a science workshop on how radio science technologies are utilized in everyday life was organized for elementary school students (and their parents) in Sapporo and Rikubetsu Town. Supported by the students from Hokkaido Information University, children made a germanium radio, which does not require batteries, and their parents made a large receiver antenna – quite tricky but a useful device that could be helpful at the time of power outages or natural disasters with disrupted communication. The workshop was followed by an online networking session between Sapporo and Rikubetsu and a science show organized by the Sapporo Science Center.

Planetary Sciences

The 82nd Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society (MetSoc 2019)

Returning to Japan after a hiatus of over 10 years, the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society was held at Hokkaido University in Sapporo from July 7-12, 2019. When it comes to the spaces sciences, Hokkaido University is one of the leading research institutes in Japan, and its breadth of expertise and local knowledge was one of the compelling reasons MetSoc chose Sapporo as host-city.From the first stages of the bidding process in October 2014 to the actual meeting in July 2019, Sapporo Convention Bureau provided support every step of the way. The tea ceremony and Japanese calligraphy, cultural programs arranged by the bureau, were a particular hit, drawing almost a third of the attendees and lending atmosphere to the venue._3, 2, 1...Touchdown!The JAXA Hayabusa2 Asteroid Explorer made a timely landing on the asteroid Ryugu during the meeting. Attendees crowded together to watch the live feed, breaking into cheers and applause when the probe successfully made contact._Local ImpactIn honor of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Yamato Meteorites in the Antarctic, organizers held an open lecture for Sapporo residents, making an impact on the community and sparking new interest in the field._On-SiteAfter a productive few days of lectures and poster sessions at Hokkaido University, delegates set out on field trips to the Horoman Peridotite Complex and the Mt. Apoi Geopark, a wonderful opportunity to see Hokkaido peridotite first-hand and exchange knowledge with local experts._Rock, or rice ball?Look twice before you take a bite! Organizers offered their own clever spin on the Japanese rice ball, making them in the likeness of meteorites using black seaweed.