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Galloway, N.J. – Six �鶹��ý���� students gained insight on tourism and explored Kyoto and Osaka during the annual Japan University English Model United Nations (JUEMUN) conference from June 27-29.

The group, sponsored by �鶹��ý���� Model UN, the School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, the Office of Student Development, and the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism (LIGHT), enjoyed an action-packed weekend of networking, experiential learning and more. 

During the conference, the students represented three different countries (the Republic of Fiji, Chile and Uganda) and explored topics centered on tourism and its impact on local and national economies and societies. These topics were informed by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which seeks to identify challenges facing tourism and drive positive change throughout the sector by promoting responsibility and sustainability. 

Skylar Ballin, a dual major in Criminal Justice and Political Science, said that, while representing Fiji, her committee discussed sustainable tourism and safeguarding marine ecosystems.

“This simply means protecting ocean life while promoting safe tourism practices in coastal areas,” the West Creek resident said. “This is something that I was deeply interested in since I live right near Long Beach Island and work there most of the year. I always observe poor tourism practices and wish something would be done about it.”

Echoing her sentiments, Té Sammons, of Minotola, referenced Takuya Horie, the CMO of the Kyoto City Tourism Association, and how the city works to manage tourism challenges such as overcrowding, price surging and environmental concerns.

“Takuya Horie presented the current challenges Kyoto faces with ever-increasing tourism and some of the ways it has addressed said challenges, such as the promotion of off-season tourism and hidden gem attractions, traveler-specific bus routes and more,” Sammons said.

Following the conference, the students explored Kyoto and Osaka, where they witnessed the topics they had discussed at length in real-time. KT Muller, a Political Science major from Ocean City, said this exploration of various cultural locations and the ease in which they were able to travel was one of her favorite parts of the trip.

“I also enjoyed the collaboration between the international schools and the Kyoto International school in guiding us around on our first day. They were incredibly insightful and sweet to us, and we got to discuss unique cultural differences,” Muller said emphatically. “I was also surprised by how English-friendly the cities were. The patience the locals have with tourists is truly unmatched and has changed my perspective on hospitality.”

The trip also revealed parallels between tourism in Japan and at the Jersey Shore. 

“Overcrowding and disregard for laws or cultural norms are very apparent in both places, despite many tourists in Japan being international, while the Jersey Shore usually draws from the tri-state area,” said Psychology major Cristian Della Fave, of Linwood.

Despite these challenges, both Sammons and dual-degree Criminal Justice major Lindsay Grande believe the solutions to these challenges can be revealed through intentional collaboration.

“While New Jersey has a division in the state department dedicated to travel and tourism, it’s difficult to address the unique complexities of tourism in each specific region of the Jersey Shore without some united body of representatives and locals,” Sammons said.

“From preserving cultural heritage to managing visitor flows, Japan’s tourism model showed how collaboration across regions and sectors can make a difference,” said Grande, of Lacey Township. “If local governments, businesses and communities worked together the way Japan has, I believe we could find more sustainable and unified approaches to tourism development.” 

The impact of this experience was felt deeply by all the students, but especially by Mary Kpetsigo, a Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management major whom LIGHT selected to attend JUEMUN. The conference not only showed her the importance of research and advocacy in the tourism industry, but it also changed her perspective on it.

“Not only has it changed how I think about hospitality as a service, but it has also changed how I think about it as a way to protect culture, promote sustainability and work together with people from other countries,” said Kpetsigo, of Aflao, Ghana. “As part of my future academic and professional path, I now want to look into tourism-related problems and solutions in other nations.

“I believe strongly that tourism should be about quality, education and respect, not just numbers,” Kpetsigo continued. “We can make travel better for both passengers and the places they visit if more places like the Jersey Shore adopt this way of thinking, as Japan is doing.” 

Tina Zappile, the director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy and advisor for Model UN for over a decade, said JUEMUN provided the group of students with the chance to think about tourism from a perspective that centers policy, planning and human behavior.

“The Japanese approach to overtourism blends multiple disciplines to innovate and test new policies, rules and strategies to ensure tourists are welcomed, while preserving the natural environment, cultural heritage and residential experience,” Zappile said. “How does a community preserve its natural landscape and cultural heritage, give residents a strong voice to protect what they love about their communities, while also welcoming tourists? Kyoto is struggling with this right now, and it’s a challenge that every community on the Jersey Shore faces each summer.”

Zappile said the group benefited from learning how to address such challenges as community stakeholders rather than just through their majors and careers.

“I think our students’ experience in Japan encouraged them to be more active members of their own community and to bring more effective solutions that build on the experiences and lessons learned in other places like Kyoto. That’s what international travel is all about,” she said.

– Story by Loukaia Taylor 

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