In summer 2012, our first-year GLOBE students traveled to Osaka, Japan, for their orientation trip. Apart from having fun in the city, the students went for a few corporate visits, the trip also offered the opportunities in learning about traditional Japanese culture and global entrepreneurship at the same time. Firm/ organizations visited are as follows:
Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau is a non-profit organization in Osaka which aims to promote and market Osaka to leisure and business visitors. During the visit, the GLOBE students were introduced on the marketing strategies and co-operation with other government organizations. The students also gained insight into how developing the city into a convention and exhibition hub can benefit the city.
JETRO has been exploring and promoting Japan’s business opportunities for years. The GLOBE students had the valuable opportunity to visit its office in Osaka and were introduced how JETRO help Japanese companies to expand overseas and how they help international countries to get into the Japanese market. The students had an inspiring discussion with the JETRO officers on the business opportunities in Japan. They also gained knowledge on the current targets and challenges for the Japanese SMEs.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory organization that promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business in China and throughout Asia. During the visit, Miss Joyce Cheung, representative from the office, gave an informative presentation to the GLOBE students about the opportunities in international trade between Japan and Hong Kong, and how to seize Hong Kong’s advantages to maintain her competitiveness, they learnt that Hong Kong has a much more favourable business environment than other regions which we have to cherish and promote.
Universal Studios Japan, a must-go tourist attraction for every single tourist to Osaka, welcomed the GLOBE students and shared their marketing strategies in the tourism market in one afternoon, topics discussed include how a theme park should set their target customers and how it should position itself as a memorable experience to its visitors. This was a special marketing class before their ‘real’ lectures at CUHK.
The last stop for corporate visit was the Cathay Pacific office in Osaka, the GLOBE students have the chance to be introduced of how this renowned airline company markets its services towards Japanese people. The students were very interested to know that Cathay Pacific effectively boosted tickets sales of flights between Osaka and Hong Kong by promoting Hong Kong tourism as their major strategy!
