Newsletter No. 934
Editorial-Opinion
March 6, 2008

 

The following newsletter has been contributed by Tom Sato (Shingetsu Member No. 76). Sato is a freelance business development manager specializing in large-scale web development and internet marketing. E-mail: info@tomsato.jp

ARAB WORLD SHOULD EFFECTIVELY USE INTERNET TO PROMOTE THEIR COUNTRIES IN JAPAN

Japan has one of the highest internet accessibility in the world and the web is now the Number One way of gathering information. Almost 90% of travel decisions, including the purchase of air tickets, is now done on the web. Japanese CEOs and business executives have no hesitation in Googling a country to gather vital information to decide if he would want to start an international business relationship with that country. Many Western nations have realized this and are now using the official embassy homepages to release up-to-the-minute information on tourism and commerce.

However, most of the Tokyo embassies of the Arab World, which I have privately surveyed, have not maintained their websites effectively despite their significant economic progress in recent years. In many cases, embassy websites are still under construction or appear quite amateurish. The consequence of this is that when Japanese citizens use a search engine, quite often they will not find the site they are looking for, or the basic and yet vital information that they are seeking. Instead, they will find information made available by the Japanese MOFA, Japanese Wikipedia, and travel agencies -- none of which represents the true voice of the country they seek information on.

I can only begin to speculate why this is so, but one thing is clear: Creating a web-based PR to promote an entire country requires not only a deep understanding of internet marketing, but also good understanding of issues related to international commerce and Japanese business and consumer trends. Regrettably, this is something that most government officials may not possess. It would appear to me, therefore, that these activities should be outsourced but controlled by the commercial attache of the respective embassy.

What should the content of such embassy websites contain? There are three major parts.

First is the basic information about the country, including its history and culture. These texts must be written in good Japanese and illustrated well enough that a Japanese junior high school could use it in their geography lessons. A better understanding of the country at this level will lead to better foreign relations in the future.

Second is travel and tourism information. Tourist promotion should be done regularly. The information should not only refer to sightseeing and airline information, but also to local shopping; and with a restaurant guide for major cities. These aspects are quite often neglected by embassies, but they are seen as crucial by many Japanese tourists.

Third is commerce and industry. Some Western embassies now have graphics-based email magazines which go out every week to the Japanese business community. Their websites have daily information on new companies wishing to do business with the Japanese. All areas of industry, from finance to natural resources, IT, and medical are covered and are tied into respective government agencies back home.

Embassy websites should serve as the gateway to industrial and economic linkages, and should therefore be utilized to the full by each Arab country. Compared to traditional media or the organizing of a conference, internet-based promotion can create an instant reaction when it is done well. This can result in positive decisions being made based on correct information.

The Arab World deserves to explore the best that is offered by internet technology.