CATS will hold the CATS Tourism Online Forum Series (TOFS) vol.22 on Thursday, August 10.
Anyone is welcome to attend. We look forward to your participation.

Unification or exclusion?
Community engagement in Usakatsu and the implementation of a new management system for rabbit tourism at Ōkunoshima Island

Abstract:
Ōkunoshima Island, known as “Rabbit Island,” has gained popularity among tourists, but managing the resident rabbits and interactions with tourists has largely relied on Usakatsu visitors, dedicated volunteers engaged in rabbit care. This dependence stems partly due to the rabbits being classified as an alien species. While Usakatsu was initiated by certain rabbit enthusiasts to improve the welfare of the rabbits, increasing number of participants with diverse goals and motivations has resulted in challenges and uncertainties. Some activities by Usakatsu visitors were not aligned with the Ministry of Environment’s (MOE) objectives, leading to concerns. To address these issues, the MOE implemented the “Ōkunoshima Mirai Supporter System,” to unify volunteer efforts according to their objectives. However, its effectiveness in sustaining rabbit tourism remains unknown. This presentation examines the impact of the new management system and its role in achieving sustainable rabbit tourism while addressing the challenges faced by Usakatsu visitors.

Keywords: animal-based tourism, volunteer, rabbit tourism, Ōkunoshima Island, wildlife tourism management

Hosted by: Hokkaido University, Center for Advanced Tourism Studies (CATS)

Date/Time: Thursday 10 August 2023  |  11:00 - 12:30 (JST)

Venue: Online (Zoom Webinar)

Language: English

Capacity: 50 persons

Participation fee: Free to join (pre-registration system)

Speaker: Dr. Rie Usui
Bio:
Rie Usui is an Assistant Professor of College of Sustainability and Tourism at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Oita, Japan. She earned her PhD from Hiroshima University in 2019. Her primary research interest lies in the intersection of tourism and human-animal studies. She has investigated into a range of topics concerning wildlife tourism in Japan and China, including wildlife tourism management, wildlife tourist experiences, and the impact of wildlife tourism development on communities and human-animal relationships. Some of her works has been featured in local and national TV programs, newspapers, and online news outlets.

Moderator: Dr. Meng Qu

Registration:
Please register at the URL below. Application deadline is Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XKr7T9L5T7u07rxGX_HQCg

Contact:
Hokkaido University, Center for Advanced Tourism Studies (CATS)
online-forum(at)cats.hokudai.ac.jp
※Please replace the (at) part with @.