Representatives of the 12 cities hosting matches for Rugby World Cup in 2019 met in Tokyo for the first time Monday to discuss ways to draw fans to their tourist spots during the 44-day sporting event.
The tournament scheduled between Sept. 20 and Nov. 2 next year is expected to draw 400,000 foreign visitors. The meeting of host cities was organized by the Japan National Tourism Organization to share methods that have worked in the past and to share their tourism know-how.
"It will be the first time the Rugby World Cup is held in a country that does not have roots in rugby . . . and worldwide rugby fans are sure to be interested in exploring other parts of Japan as well," said Masahiro Kato, a senior official of the Rugby World Cup 2019 Organizing Committee. "I hope that 2019 will not simply become a one-off event, but rather an opportunity to connect each local municipality with world cities."