encourages staff exchanges with the Kenpinsuki group, as well as conducting food promotion. Our staff members quite often visit Europe for Thai food promotions.
We are always concerned about providing the best services we can to please our guests during their stay, and what we think is of utmost importance is for us to have heartfelt communication with them. Naturally we cannot avoid language problems. Therefore on the outskirts of Bangkok, each hotel has instructors who teach Japanese to the staff, and in the rural areas as many Japanese-speaking staff as possible are employed. We are doing our best to hire not only Japanese speaking people, but also staff who can speak Spanish or Italian.
Considering the recent increase in family tours, we are offering a staffed children's playroom complete with toys. While our staff take care of their children, parents can spend time on their own. Although they are from various countries, the children all enjoy playing together with a variety of toys. This service is especially welcomed by our guests.
This may be a matter of course but we believe small services and kindness will encourage guests to return. For instance, 50 % of all tourists in Thailand are "repeater guests." Of the Japanese tourists, nearly 50 % are repeater guests. In order to train future hoteliers, we have established a hotel school in Bangkok called Dusit Thani College. Since Japanese flower arrangement ikebana plays an important role in our hotel, the college has Japanese instructors who teach ikebana. We are also planning to teach Japanese language as well as cuisine in the college.
I feel quite certain that the tourist industry will develop even further from now on in Thailand and a greater, capable labor force will be required. To this end, we hope to cooperate with each other as much as possible, which we think is our responsibility. Having such a school is a great advantage, and we hope to teach Japanese culture there as well. As far as time allows, I myself often go to each hotel to discuss what kind of services are required by Japanese travelers.
The most important factor for the hotel industry is to present our country's hospitality when welcoming guests. Thank you.
Mr. Abe : Thank you. Mr. Koga talked about his valuable experience in the hotel management business and tourist industry, at a time when tourism in Thailand is taking off at an extraordinary rate.
Our third speaker is Mr. Sanjo. He is involved in a unique and unprecedented project named the International Villa, started at the prefecutural level in Japan.
Mr. Sanjo : Today I will talk about two subjects One is a brief explanation about the International Villa. The other is to offer some data and tips based on my experience in managing the villa. These may be helpful to you concerning the theme of this panel discussion, ﾞInternational Tourism Exchange." As my work is involved with local government administration, I am not very accustomed to giving such presentations, therefore I would like to speak based on the material outlining the villa, which has already been passed to you.
First, "What is the International Villa?" As was mentioned just now by Mr. Abe, it is an accommodation facility exclusively for foreign membership holders, constructed by prefectural governments and operated by local cities, towns and villages. The idea of the villa was created by Governor Nagano of Okayama Prefecture, who will be retiring. The preparation of land began in 1986 and the first villa was completed in May, 1988, with a total of six being completed in the following three years. Presently these villas are regarded as a group belonging to the already established International Villa.
The aim of the villa is, as you see in the material, "to provide a special accommodation facility for foreigners at an inexpensive rate so that they can easily visit Okayama Prefecture. It is expected that, at various places in Okayama where both
