On December 24, JAL held a ceremony to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Haneda-Amami route.
The company’s Haneda-Amami route was launched by JAS (Japan Air System) on December 24, 1992, using a 163-seat McDonnell Douglas DC-9-81 aircraft. Incidentally, the route from Itami will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Kenichiro Ochi, Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of Passenger Sales Division, who took the stage at the ceremony before the boarding gate, recalled that approximately 2.31 million passengers had used the airline in the past 30 years, and introduced himself as a member of JAC (Japan Air Commuter), a group company in Kagoshima, where he was in charge of remote island routes in the Amami Islands until March.
At that time, he said, “I had many opportunities to visit other islands besides Oshima, but I felt that Amami was the only archipelago in the world with such a different natural formation and culture of each island. I was able to witness the moment when the island’s treasure became a world treasure. The challenge for the future is how to increase the number of people interacting with the island and revitalize it, while protecting the island’s natural environment.
JAC has also established an island hopping route connecting the archipelago (Amami Oshima – Tokunoshima – Okinoerabujima) and Okinawa, and has also formed a network to Kikaijima and Yoronjima. The company also offers dynamic packages that allow customers to freely combine airline tickets, accommodations, and options, and says, “We would like to propose ways to stimulate demand.
While the registration as a World Heritage site is expected to increase the number of visitors from outside Japan, Mr. Ochi also pointed out that it is necessary to take care not to overtourism, and explained that the balance must be coordinated with the local people.
© Source travel watch