Meta cluster for attracting the Japanese tourism market (CAITO) Source of funding ERF Scientific leader Baiba Rivža Project website https://caitoproject.eu/ Duration 2017-2019 Budget 123 482 EUR Project description In the Central Baltic region, tourist visits from neighbouring countries have declined in some areas. To face this challenge, clusters with skills, knowledge and the understanding required to enter new markets are needed and working with the Japanese market will create more opportunities to increase tourism in the region. Currently, potential exists in rural tourism for the development of clusters, products and services especially in terms of product quality and demand. This can be extended to the Japanese market in the tourism sector since Japanese tourists have expressed interest in visiting rural areas to experience the wide range of natural and cultural heritage products to be found in our countryside. The aim of the project is shaping a rural tourism high capacity meta-cluster to access the Japanese market, enable its structure and operations, and present a significant rural tourism product for Japanese travellers. The idea is to build Japanese market expertise in order to create focused marketing and products suited to the interests and expectations of Japanese tourists to attract them in greater numbers to visit the Central Baltic region. Project partners Estonian University of Life Sciences (lead partner), Estonia Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Latvia Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finland University of Helsinki, Ruralia Institute, Finland Latvian Country Tourism Association “Lauku celotajs”, Latvia Estonian Rural Tourism Association, Estonia Regional Tourism Association in Southern Finland “Visit South Coast Finland”, Finland Associate partners Association of Latvian Travel Agents and Operators, Latvia Estonian Travel and Tourism Association, Estonia Society Zemgale Tourism Association, Latvia
