Vacant houses will become future tourism resources. Utilizing vacant houses to create 'reasons to stay' in the region.

I attended the tourism association's general meeting this afternoon.
During the meeting, I felt great potential in the concept of [Vacant Houses x Tourism], so I decided to write about it right away.

Recently, when I talk about vacant houses, I've been getting different reactions than before.
I hear comments like, 'I wonder if we could make good use of that old folk house...' or 'Wouldn't the number of overnight guests increase if people could stay there?'

I would like to organize these thoughts a bit more clearly.

Vacant houses are not only a 'housing issue' but can actually become regional tourism resources, is the topic I want to discuss.

Vacant houses are not just a 'problem'

I've been seeing news everywhere lately that the number of vacant houses nationwide has exceeded 9 million.
Looking at this number alone, it is certainly serious.

However, every time I see this number, I also feel a bit of a positive emotion.

It is often discussed within the framework of 'vacant houses = a problem,' but it is not the vacant houses themselves that are bad; it is the fact that they are left abandoned that is the problem.
I believe that if they are properly managed and used in ways that meet regional needs, vacant houses can become regional treasures.
I am sure that among the many vacant houses, there are 'diamonds in the rough'...

In particular, old folk houses, townhouses, old houses in port towns, large houses in rural areas, and vacant shops in shopping streets... these buildings have a unique atmosphere that can only be found in that region.
It is an atmosphere of 'being only here' that a new hotel could never replicate.

I think that is a significant strength when considering them as tourism resources.

From 'visiting and leaving' to 'staying and feeling'

There is something that tourism administration officials have been saying in unison for the past few years: 'We want to increase overnight guests, not day-trippers.'
The same issue was raised for our town during the general meeting.

The reason is that the numbers are clear.
Compared to day trips, overnight trips involve a completely different way money is spent within the region.
It's not just accommodation costs; it's dinner, breakfast, a cafe visited during a morning walk the next day, local souvenir shops, experience programs... just by staying one night, the opportunities for spending money increase significantly.

Conversely, regions that have tourism resources but are only 'visited and left' are in a very wasteful situation.

That is where vacant houses come in.

Increasing the number of places to stay is not just about 'increasing lodging facilities.'
It is a realistic means to boost regional tourism consumption.

Commonalities of successful regions

Ozu City in Ehime Prefecture and Yakage Town in Okayama Prefecture are often mentioned as regions that have achieved results by utilizing old folk houses and vacant houses.
And as I research various things, I often think, 'Yes, this is what's important.'

That is the point that they do not complete the experience with just one accommodation facility.

Staying at an inn, eating at a nearby restaurant, walking through the historic streets the next morning, being guided by a local guide, and buying souvenirs on the way home.
Only when these 'experiences of the whole town' are connected will tourists think, 'I want to come back again.'

This is an idea close to the concept of a 'distributed hotel' or a 'town-wide hotel'.
To put it simply, it feels like treating the entire town as a single accommodation facility, rather than concentrating functions into one large hotel building.

I believe the essence of utilizing vacant houses lies right there.

It doesn't have to be 'cheap private lodging,' and in fact, it's better if it isn't.

When people hear about utilizing vacant houses, some might imagine 'cheap private lodging' where you can stay for a low price.

But honestly, I feel it's a waste to aim only for that.

Old folk houses and townhouses have a history within their structures.
They hold traces of the lives of the people who once lived in that region.

By layering local food, experiences, and culture onto that, value is created that a standard business hotel could never provide.

This is also important in terms of 'increasing the unit price' for the region.
If we can provide experiences unique to that region as high value rather than selling them cheaply, the impact on the local economy will be significant even with fewer overnight stays.

If you get this wrong, low-quality private lodgings will spring up everywhere, leading to trouble with local residents and the degradation of the landscape.
Unfortunately, I hear about such cases in the field.

Are tourism administration and vacant house administration working separately?

From here, I will talk a bit about the reality on the ground.

When you try to advance the utilization of vacant houses, there is almost always a wall you will hit.
That is the siloed administrative structure.

The tourism division does the work of the tourism division.
The vacant house department does the work of the vacant house department.
The construction department, the migration and settlement department—each is working hard, but the horizontal connections are weak.

The tourism division alone cannot move vacant houses, and the vacant house department alone cannot create tourism products.
The power of both is necessary.

Furthermore, it is necessary to involve this many stakeholders: DMOs, tourism associations, chambers of commerce, local financial institutions, real estate businesses, architects, vacant house management companies, and local residents...

It is quite a difficult matter.
But it also means that the scope of influence is that wide.

There are also valid reasons why owners cannot act.

I would like to talk a little about the owners here as well.

I often hear in the field that 'there is an old folk house that could be utilized, but the owner won't give the go-ahead.'

The reason owners cannot act is not simply that they 'lack motivation.'

There are many accumulated circumstances, such as difficulty in decision-making due to multiple people being involved through inheritance, hesitation due to unclear renovation costs, or worries about whether using them for tourism might cause trouble for local residents.

Postponing a decision is not irresponsible; it is because anxiety comes first.
I feel it is important to approach this with the understanding that 'it is easy to feel that way'.

That is precisely why mechanisms that make it easier for owners to take a step forward and the existence of reliable consultation services are important.

Without a management system, tourism utilization will not last long.

There is one more point I would like to emphasize.

When utilizing vacant houses for tourism, it is not just about renovating and finishing.
In fact, it is more difficult after you start using them.

Cleaning, key management, grass cutting, checking after typhoons, equipment inspections, responding to neighbors, emergency contact systems... without these, no matter how beautifully a building is renovated, you will not gain the understanding (this is important!) of local residents.

Even if it is attractive to tourists, it will not last long if it becomes a facility that is a nuisance to the people living in the area.

Tourism utilization and vacant house management must be considered as a set.
This is where the significance of vacant house managers and local management companies comes in.

So, today, I have organized some thoughts on 'vacant houses and tourism' from the general meeting of the tourism association.

The view that 'vacant houses = trouble' is certainly a fact in one respect.
But it is also a fact that buildings that hold the history of the region are beginning to have completely different values in the context of tourism.

Abandoned vacant houses become a burden on the region.
However, vacant houses that are properly managed and incorporated into the local tourism flow become resources that increase the region's earning power.

▼ Thank you for reading to the end.
If you liked this article even a little, please 'like', 'comment', or 'follow'.

▼How to start a 'Regional Happy Business' created with weekend side jobs and weekday multiple jobs
'Your business might save the region'
When people hear 'vacant house management', they tend to think of real estate or construction professionals.
But actually, it is highly compatible with various industries.
In this series, we introduce 'different industries' that create unexpected chemical reactions with vacant house management.
You should be able to find something that sparks an idea within you in 'Different Industry x Vacant House Business'.
Why not start with 'I'm a little interested'? Your sensibility might be the first step to changing the region.

▼ Click here for the association's website where you can read various topics related to vacant houses every day↓↓
https://www.akiyakanrishi.org/
▼ You can also see the works of the 'Vacant House Photo Contest' on Instagram↓↓
https:、/www.instagram.com/akiyakanrishi/
▼ Vacant House Management Office is looking for business partners nationwide↓↓
https://www.akiyakanrisha.net/
▼ We started a podcast on YouTube↓↓
https://www.youtube.com/@user-ve5wl5gv7k/podcasts
▼ You can add our official LINE account as a friend. Please feel free to use it for questions and consultations.↓↓