[O06-P27] The development of original goods chosen by tourists
~The effort of “Kumano Waroda” on Nanki Kumano Geopark~
Keywords:original goods , popularity voting , the regional economy will circulate and pick up.
Two years have pasted since "Nanki Kumano Geopark" in Wakayama was certified as a Japanese geopark. In this area, various organizations are engaged in activities related to geo, for example geo tours etc. have got stable popularity and participants are gradually increasing.
However, in the local souvenir shops and hotels, you can not see any goods related to the geopark, and even if tourists visit the Nanki Kumano Geopark, they can not buy any memorable souvenirs.
The "Kumano Waroda" to which we belong consists of members of various professions such as sightseeing guides and tourist officials, self-employed persons, company employees, company officials, local assembly members, local government officials. Until now, we have held lectures in which we use the activity promotion project of the Nanki Kumano Geopark Promotion Council . We have made geo-story shows and collaborated the Ramsar site with our geoparks, but in 2016 We decided to develop Geo Goods which would appeal to tourists.
As the design of the goods is important, we decided to ask the designer without designing by ourselves. We decided to appoint a local designer so that money would circulate within our local area and asked the designer who has taken a geo guide training course at Nanki Kumano Geopark so it would be easy to convey the image of the geopark.
Designers proposed six Geopark-like designs.
We decided on the design and price range by popularity vote. We decided to use popularity voting based on Facebook and the Japan Geopark National Convention held in Izu Peninsula in October 2016. As the results of the questionnaire were the same as in both Facebook and the national convention, we decided to make prototypes based on two popular design ideas out of six.
We decided on what to make from the popular price range. Members gave out various ideas such as T-shirts, tote bags, towels, Japanese towels, mugs, block-type memo pads, clear files, masking tapes, etc. However, If we had chosen T-shirts, we would have made them in various sizes. So we gave up making T-shirts. Because we were afraid that we might have inventory. Ultimately, we decided to produce three prototypes ; tote bags, mugs, clear files, with two kinds of designs. Then, we compared the designs of prototypes delivered from designers and we decided to adopt a design in which famous geosites, also known for tourists, are arranged flat.
And, finally on the first sale at "the 4th Nanki Kumano Geopark Festa "held on February 14, 2017, we sold 4 tote bags(\1200 ), 11 mugs(\1000 ), 19 clear files(\ 200 ).
Although it is difficult to design concepts that are not familiar to the general public, this time, designs that can convey the attraction of geoparks have been completed because the students of the geo guide training course were appointed as designers. We felt it was important to share the same feelings and ideas with us. By conducting questionnaire survey nationwide, we knew for designers not only our own regional love, but also the designs that everyone sought. So we were able to produce goods with confidence
However, sales at GeoparkFesta were not so good, because I think that it was partly due to lack of advance PR, so it may have been better for us to ask local newspaper companies to take up the development process.
We will also consider the sales channels of original goods so that the regional economy will circulate and pick up.
This time, we were happy that the designer joined and she would make “the Kumano Waroda” stronger which led to further power up of the group.
From now on, I would like to work on community activities in order to make the regional resources of the Nanki Kumano Geopark more attractive, and to boost the local community.
However, in the local souvenir shops and hotels, you can not see any goods related to the geopark, and even if tourists visit the Nanki Kumano Geopark, they can not buy any memorable souvenirs.
The "Kumano Waroda" to which we belong consists of members of various professions such as sightseeing guides and tourist officials, self-employed persons, company employees, company officials, local assembly members, local government officials. Until now, we have held lectures in which we use the activity promotion project of the Nanki Kumano Geopark Promotion Council . We have made geo-story shows and collaborated the Ramsar site with our geoparks, but in 2016 We decided to develop Geo Goods which would appeal to tourists.
As the design of the goods is important, we decided to ask the designer without designing by ourselves. We decided to appoint a local designer so that money would circulate within our local area and asked the designer who has taken a geo guide training course at Nanki Kumano Geopark so it would be easy to convey the image of the geopark.
Designers proposed six Geopark-like designs.
We decided on the design and price range by popularity vote. We decided to use popularity voting based on Facebook and the Japan Geopark National Convention held in Izu Peninsula in October 2016. As the results of the questionnaire were the same as in both Facebook and the national convention, we decided to make prototypes based on two popular design ideas out of six.
We decided on what to make from the popular price range. Members gave out various ideas such as T-shirts, tote bags, towels, Japanese towels, mugs, block-type memo pads, clear files, masking tapes, etc. However, If we had chosen T-shirts, we would have made them in various sizes. So we gave up making T-shirts. Because we were afraid that we might have inventory. Ultimately, we decided to produce three prototypes ; tote bags, mugs, clear files, with two kinds of designs. Then, we compared the designs of prototypes delivered from designers and we decided to adopt a design in which famous geosites, also known for tourists, are arranged flat.
And, finally on the first sale at "the 4th Nanki Kumano Geopark Festa "held on February 14, 2017, we sold 4 tote bags(\1200 ), 11 mugs(\1000 ), 19 clear files(\ 200 ).
Although it is difficult to design concepts that are not familiar to the general public, this time, designs that can convey the attraction of geoparks have been completed because the students of the geo guide training course were appointed as designers. We felt it was important to share the same feelings and ideas with us. By conducting questionnaire survey nationwide, we knew for designers not only our own regional love, but also the designs that everyone sought. So we were able to produce goods with confidence
However, sales at GeoparkFesta were not so good, because I think that it was partly due to lack of advance PR, so it may have been better for us to ask local newspaper companies to take up the development process.
We will also consider the sales channels of original goods so that the regional economy will circulate and pick up.
This time, we were happy that the designer joined and she would make “the Kumano Waroda” stronger which led to further power up of the group.
From now on, I would like to work on community activities in order to make the regional resources of the Nanki Kumano Geopark more attractive, and to boost the local community.