Tourism, rural revitalization, and young entrepreneurs

The quest for revitalization in the Japanese context looms large as socioeconomic and demographic changes accelerate. In this exploratory paper, we examine the extent to which in-migrants have a role to play in addressing the myriad challenges that arise in rural contexts in Wakayama Prefecture. Our particular focus is on the links between tourism, rural revitalization, and young entrepreneurs. We discovered that multiple drivers are acting to attract young in-migrants, especially young entrepreneurs to rural townships, Very often, these are related to a desire to help address the challenges apparent in rural communities, especially if it is where they grew up. Additionally, and predictably, health, well-being and lifestyle benefits are other key motivators behind the urban-rural migration. However, there are many constraints that in-migrants must overcome and these are related to practical, as well as government policy related shortcomings.