Tourism Australia has announced the appointment of a new country manager for Japan - Joe Yoshiyuki Nakazawa - who is due to commence work in the role from December 1st.
Mr Nakazawa is currently employed as managing director of HRS Hotel Reservation Service Japan, so brings a wealth of experience of the industry to Tourism Australia.
Prior to this role, he acted as country manager Japan for eight years with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and as a senior executive at Japan Travel Bureau.
In the latter position, Mr Nakazawa was tasked with managing travel trade relationships, with a particular focus on new business development and e-commerce.
He will be based in Tokyo for his new role with Tourism Australia and reports to the company's regional general manager for north Asia Andrew Hogg.
Mr Hogg said key factors on Mr Nakazawa's resume that led to his appointment included his extensive aviation experience and understanding of the Japan travel market.
"The Japanese market has rebounded strongly in recent times with visitor numbers growing strongly over the past 12 months," Mr Hogg commented.
"A big part in this turnaround has been the focus we have placed upon strengthening our relationships with aviation, distribution and trade partners in market, as well as strong marketing activity. These are certainly areas where Joe's experience and strong skill set will give us significant additional momentum."
Mr Nakazawa said Australia is a country that helped to shape his own personal and professional development, which is why he looks forward to working for its national tourism organisation.
Japan is the sixth largest inbound market for Australia, with 391,100 Japanese visitor arrivals for the year ending August 2016 - an increase of 20.2 per cent compared to the corresponding figure recorded 12 months previously.
