Case Studies

First Japanese Film Screening and Tourism Promotion Event in the Philippines - JTB Manila Provides Support with Local Culture

Client :Japan Film Commission

Industry :Movie Industry

Participants :Over 1000

Destination :Manila, The Philippines

Period :February 15 to 16, 2025 (2 days)

# Case Studies
# Group Travel
# Asia

First Japanese Film Screening and Tourism Promotion Event in the Philippines - JTB Manila Provides Support with Local Culture

Summary

Provide comprehensive support for Manila’s first event combining Japanese film screenings and tourism promotion
Develop participatory promotions tailored to the culture of the Philippines
Set up tourism exhibition booths to promote regional attractions and generate interest in Japan
Complete all preparations in around one month, from selecting the venue to the opening of the event

Objectives

JTB Manila provided total support for the Japan Film Commission’s first Japanese film screening and tourism promotion event in Manila “Journey Through Japan on Screen” is an event that communicates the wonders of Japan to the rest of the world, with the aim of attracting tourism and revitalizing local communities. Four films were screened, including an animated feature and a film set in Japan and the Philippines. A talk session by a Japanese director and a Filipino director/actor was also planned.

Promotion booths were also set up that showcased filming locations and tourist spots in various parts of Japan, which served to stimulate visitors’ interest in Japan through the movies. The impetus for this project came from an introduction from the Japan Foundation, Manila, who introduced JTB as one of its local partners because of its strong reputation and extensive experience in international cultural exchange projects. We were expected to play a coordinating role between Japan and the Philippines, two countries with different business cultures, and to help promote Japanese culture there.

Challenges

The challenges presented with this project were how to proceed with a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Philippines that would attract tourism through films, and how to prepare for each film screening and various other related events within the extremely short timeframe. JTB was consulted about the event in Manila about three months in advance. However, the venue, a local movie theater, was not decided until one month before the event was scheduled to take place. In the limited time we had available, it was necessary to set up the screening venue, plan the program, coordinate the schedule of guest speakers, and prepare items to attract people.

Promotion requirements also necessitated rapid production of promotional posters for the films to be screened. Due to the short lead time before the event, the risk of disagreements with the production company and local staff, or disagreements with the image of the finished product, was something we expected. To proactively prevent potential issues, we determined that it was imperative to establish a production flow that could provide immediate responses and a system that would enable quick decision-making.

Key Points

・Create flexible project progression based on local business practices

・Place importance on selecting a partner with a proven track record of both speed and quality, even with short delivery times

・Provide accurate design support for booth setup based on actual on-site measurements

・Implement measures to attract visitors that resonate with Filipino culture

Solutions

Working with local partners during short preparation time

To ensure efficient preparations, we worked with an event company with a proven track record in event management, and also requested a printing company to assist with production materials to shorten lead time.The JTB Manila branch staff also negotiated with local officials while handling procedures specific to film screenings, such as format support for movie theaters and rating applications. The large promotional cardboard cutout—normally difficult to produce—was successfully delivered within the time we had. This cutout caught the attention of many visitors on the day of the event and played a major role in increasing interest.

Questionnaire appropriate to Filipino culture

To increase visitor satisfaction, JTB proposed a “no-miss raffle,” a popular format in the Philippines, by making it possible to receive prizes for completing the survey. Dozens of prizes, including tote bags, pens, and stickers provided by Japanese local governments, were available. The inventory was properly managed by monitoring the number of visitors during the event, resulting in the collection of more than 660 questionnaires. This led to improved visitor satisfaction as well as an understanding of the event’s effectiveness.

On-site staff to set up the venue and manage traffic flow

JTB Manila branch staff visited movie theaters and conducted on-site measurements. This allowed us to build a plan while relying on accurate drawings. On the day of the event, the screening and exhibition booth operations had to be carried out in parallel. This required detailed coordination to separate the flow lines of the movie audiences and to prevent crowd congestion.

One-stop support from guest handling to accommodation

JTB also handled all transportation and lodging arrangements for the Japanese directors and Filipino guests who spoke at the talk sessions. Although a change in arrival time occurred on the day of the tour, we adjusted flexibly and, in addition, responded quickly to unexpected sightseeing requests.

Conlusion

The total support for “Journey Through Japan on Screen” by JTB Manila Branch was a great success, achieving high quality in both the film screening and the tourism Promotion event despite the limited preparation time of approximately one month.The most significant factor contributing to the success of the event was the JTB Manila branch staff’s familiarity with local business practices. They demonstrated excellent teamwork in managing a wide range of responsibilities— from responding to emails to setting up the venue—ensuring the smooth execution of the event. This made it possible to organize and run an event with high visitor satisfaction, even in the short period of time available to us.This local understanding and flexibility is a major strength of JTB that we can bring to international events. We will continue to use this knowledge at our disposal to lead more large-scale events to success.

Client Testimonial

This was our first overseas event, but thanks to the detailed support of the local staff, preparations went smoothly.

A notable challenge was adjusting to the difference in the speed of response when coordinating with the locals. We were initially uneasy at times, but after the background and reasons were carefully explained to us, we came to trust and rely on them. We were very encouraged by the suggestions on how to attract visitors. Despite the short preparation time, many people attended the event, and we feel that we were able to convey the appeal of Japanese film and tourism to a large number of people. JTB’s preparations helped a lot, but I think that the flexibility and speed with which we were able to respond to the situation on the day of the event were a major factor in its success. We hope to have another opportunity like this in the future.

Project Lead

Momoka Iwaki

JTB ASIA PACIFIC PHIL. CORP.
Corporate Sales Japan Section
Supervisor

She has developed her career across both the Japanese and Philippine markets through her work with the JTB Group. Currently based in Manila, she focuses on outbound corporate sales, specializing in MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions). Earlier in her career, she managed government-related research and promotional projects in Japan, building strong expertise in project coordination and public sector client engagement.