Koji Momokita, Representative Director and President, Tobu Top Tours Co., Ltd.

Through "real" values, we bring joy to memories that will last a lifetime.

Koji Momokita (Karakita Yasushi), Representative Director and President of Tobu Top Tours Co., Ltd.

■ Profile

Born in Tokyo in 1964. After graduating from the School of Commerce at Meiji University, he joined Tokyu Kanko (now Tobu Top Tours) in 1987. In 1997, he was seconded to Vita USA CO. HAWAII, and after returning to Japan, he served as Director of the President's Office and Director of Corporate Planning at Top Tours (now Tobu Top Tours) in 2007. He became a director in 2014, and after the launch of Tobu Top Tours in 2016, he was in charge of the Sales Management Headquarters. In 2020, he became Director, Managing Executive Officer, and General Manager of the Sales Management Headquarters, and has been in his current position since July 2021.

Tobu Top Tours Co., Ltd. was formed in 2015 through the merger of Tobu Travel Co., Ltd. and Top Tours Co., Ltd. The company's management philosophy, "A Chain of Thank You," conveys a strong commitment to the travel business. With the travel industry hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, we spoke to President Momokida about the experiences he has gained running the company, as well as his message to university students living in uncertain times.

■Part-time jobs and studies. Enjoying university life to the fullest

When I was a university student, like many of you, I worked a variety of part-time jobs and devoted myself to my studies. While I worked at an izakaya for three years, I also did some unusual part-time work, such as running endlessly around the field along the Tama River to take gravure photos to promote the Koshien tournament. Also, my family's business was a woodworking industry that sawed logs, so after my part-time job at the izakaya was over, I would sometimes transport lumber from Asakusa to Koshigaya.

Of course, I didn't neglect my studies either. I chose "Transportation Theory" as the theme for my university seminar, and went to see the bus lanes that had been built in Nagoya at the time, and used that as my research topic. The seminar had a free-spirited atmosphere, and I enjoyed it very much. I often went to watch Meiji University rugby and baseball games with my seminar members. I still vividly remember the Waseda-Meiji game in the middle of winter, when we lined up all night for a week to get tickets in the middle of heavy snow.

Following his intuition, he jumped into the world of travel

I'm sure job hunting is tough for everyone these days, but it wasn't easy for me when I was a university student either. I started job hunting late because I watched what my friends around me were doing. During my job search, I felt drawn to the travel industry. While the finance industry was a popular career destination for my business school, I trusted my intuition and narrowed my job search to the travel industry, applying to only four companies.

One of the companies I applied to that offered me a job was Tobu Top Tours (then Tokyu Tourist). However, once I joined the company, I realized that "selling something that has no form, 'travel', is difficult."

Even if the contents of the trip are the same, in order for customers to choose our company, it is important to differentiate ourselves from other travel agencies and provide some kind of value to our customers. For example, it is important for the tour manager to be trusted by customers as a person, to improve his or her planning skills, and to convey the fun and value of the tour. What is important is the personality, plan content, and fun of the tour, rather than the content of the trip.

Furthermore, our travel industry cannot survive on individual efforts. We collaborate with airlines, inns, hotels, souvenir shops, and others, and the product known as "travel" is created through teamwork. Seeing customers happy through their "travel" and hearing their words of "thank you" is encouraging for each and every employee, and by continuing to provide experiences that earn our customers' appreciation, we ourselves grow. I believe that these relationships with customers are the true joy of working in the travel industry.

■In these difficult times, "revitalize the region and revitalize Japan"

Tobu Top Tours primarily operates a B2B travel business targeting groups and corporations. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, travel demand has plummeted, with school trips being postponed and overseas trips being canceled.

So we turned our attention to new needs beyond travel. With a desire to contribute to society by utilizing the hospitality spirit and coordination skills that are unique to Tobu Top Tours, we have started new projects such as vaccination programs, applying for subsidies for struggling restaurants, and certifying safety and security standards, playing a role in connecting national and local governments with companies.

Going forward, we aim to solve the issues facing each region under the theme of "Invigorating Local Communities, Invigorating Japan." Looking at the bigger picture, Japan's population is declining at a rate of 60 people per year, but the challenges vary from region to region. As we have stores in all 47 prefectures, we are able to propose solutions that are rooted in the local community. Our vaccination business is just one of our many offerings. We would like to expand our offerings even further so that we can flexibly respond to the challenges faced by each region.

Additionally, the necessity of "travel" has been questioned many times over the past two years. Travel methods have shifted from planes and trains to cars, and people are now traveling in smaller groups. While remote travel has its advantages, an increasing number of customers are realizing the value of real-life experiences through travel. In that sense, the past two years have not all been bad, and perhaps they have also given people an opportunity to realize the importance of travel. We will continue to take on new challenges every day in order to provide these "real-life" opportunities and help our customers create lifelong memories.

■We want people who are curious and have their antennas up.

There are three characteristics of successful employees at Tobu Top Tours: (1) they approach their work with strong conviction, (2) they understand what is needed in today's society, and (3) they are honest people who can sincerely apologize when they make a mistake or fail.

Since travel is an intangible product, it is important to differentiate ourselves from other companies through these types of personalities. We are looking for curious people who can sense the changes in the rapidly changing environment, adapt to those changes, and keep their antennas up.

■Message

Students often ask me, "What should I prepare before joining our company?" and the answer is, "You don't have to do anything." There are many things that students can only do now.
It would be a shame to regret something when you are older. I hope that you will find something that you can do as a student, and see it through while you still have the time before graduating.
We also provide comprehensive training so that you will not feel anxious after joining the company. Please jump into our company without any worries.

Another important thing is health. I'm sure you'll feel stressed at times during your university life. We in the travel industry also deal with products for which there are no clear answers, so we do encounter problems. However, on the other hand, if you can respond to and resolve these problems, it will help you move forward. I hope that all university students will use their troubles and failures as motivation to move forward with strong conviction.

Student Newspaper Online Interview on June 24, 2022 (Student Newspaper October 2022 issue) Meiji University 4th year Yui Sakai