🚃 The day train fares become 'free'. A story about the slightly cunning way Saitama attracts visitors
A weekend morning.
Looking at my smartphone, I think aimlessly.
"Where should I go today?"
But in the end, it's the usual town.
The usual shops.
Before I know it, it's the usual weekend.
——To those people in Tokyo, I throw out this one line.
"The train fare to Saitama is free."
How about that?
Doesn't it stir your heart just a little?
💡 A change in perspective | When you eliminate 'travel costs', people move
From Tokyo to Saitama.
The distance is short. But psychologically, it feels a bit far.
The reason is simple:
There is no reason to go out of your way
You won't be inconvenienced if you don't go
Everything is complete within Tokyo
In other words, there is no 'reason not to go', but there is also no 'reason to go'.
So——
👉 Make the train fare zero
Then what happens?
"If it's free, maybe I'll go"
"Since I'm here, I'll have a meal too"
"It's more fun than I thought"
Before you know it, money is being spent in Saitama.
🧠 The essence is not 'free'
This is not just a special favor.
A mechanism to turn travel expenses into 'advertising costs'
Until now, Saitama has been:
Communicating its appeal
Hosting events
Doing PR
But even so, those who don't come, don't come.
Why?
👉 'Because it's a hassle to get there'
So, conversely,
Forcibly creating a 'reason to go'
That is 'free'.
🏙️ The destinations are already there
Actually, Saitama has strong content.
Kawagoe, where you can enjoy the townscape of Little Edo
Nagatoro, a treasure trove of nature and activities
Koshigaya Lake Town, a massive commercial facility where you can play all day
The problem is not that it is 'unknown', but
👉 'not having a trigger to go'
🎯 So, should we really make it free?
Let's talk reality here.
What happens if you make it free unconditionally?
The number of people who just come and leave increases
People just stop by a convenience store and that's it
Transportation costs just balloon
——This would just result in a deficit.
That's why the strategy is changed like this.
🔧 A slightly cunning mechanism
For example, rules like these.
Get your transportation costs back if you spend 3,000 yen in Saitama
Free if you complete a stamp rally
Includes coupons usable in designated areas
So what happens then?
👉 Only 'people who come with the intention to spend' gather
Even though it's free, money is actually being spent.
🌱 And it gets even more interesting from here
People who come once think like this:
'Huh, Saitama is actually pretty good'
This is where the real work begins.
Half price on the second visit
Events for regulars
Participation in local communities
👉 Turning 'tourists' into 'connected residents'
People who just came to visit for fun,
gradually become 'people who are involved'.
📊 This is also a way for cities to compete
Tokyo is strong. Overwhelmingly strong.
That's why you can't win by fighting normally.
But this method is different.
Winning by manipulating the 'flow of people'
Make it easier to get there
Don't let them get lost
Satisfy them once they arrive
Just by doing that, the flow of money changes.
✨ What if a day like this came?
Saturday morning.
'It's free train fare day in Saitama'
You get a notification like that.
You hop on a train for no particular reason.
You get off at a station you've never been to.
You walk into a shop you don't know.
Before you know it,
it's a day that isn't your 'usual holiday'.
🚃 Conclusion
The essence of this idea is very simple.
People will move if they have a 'reason to go'
And one more thing.
People who move will always spend money somewhere
Therefore, train fares are not a 'loss'.
They are,
👉 perhaps a ticket that brings in future consumption
.
This clever strategy that Saitama is planning.
If it really starts—
would you ride it?
▼ You can check other articles on this theme in this magazine
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