Japanese hospitality group Hoshino Resorts The company announced Tuesday it is launching a brand new hotel to capitalize on the booming nature tourism industry in Japan, amid record visitor numbers.
The new Lucy Brand, which will debut in September with its first hotel in Oze National Park represents the company’s six hotel brands following Hoshinoya, Risonare, Kai, Omo, and Beb. It marks a strategic decision to strengthen Japan’s natural tourism offerings outside its major cities.
Lucy said in a press release that the company aims to “make the heat-stirring mountain experiences (…) accessible to a larger audience” by offering hotel operations.
First Property and Brand Features
Lucy Ozehatomachi The first property of the new brand will open on September 1, at Hatomachi Pass (the entrance to Oze National Park). Reservations are open from June 2.
The hotel offers three different room types. These range from dormitory style private rooms for solo travelers, to four-person family rooms.
Hoshino Resorts says it will differentiate its Lucy brand by ensuring six amenities, which are inconsistent or hard to confirm in other mountain accommodations. They include showers and bidets as well modern toilets. There are also meals, an on-site shop, unlimited Wi Fi and charging, and a private room.
Market Context & Future Plans
Japan’s tourism industry continues to grow and evolve. The government is working to diversify the visitor destinations. For example, it has 35 national parks.
Hoshino Resorts announced that it will build more Lucy properties at other mountain tourism locations, such as Tateyama (about 350km northwest from Tokyo) in the equivalent of the Alps in Japan.
Explore related trends for industry professionals at Skift’s Asia Forum Bangkok will be hosting a two-day event on May 14-15.