Dear colleagues in the tourism and hospitality field, greetings from Osaka. My name is Keiko Nishimoto from Ritsumeikan University. I have spent over 20 years as a practitioner in the MICE industry, and in 2024, I joined the faculty as a professor when Ritsumeikan University Business School launched its Tourism Management Program.
Osaka-Ibaraki City may not be widely known internationally. However, having established my laboratory at the Osaka-Ibaraki Campus, I have been captivated by its charm. The “Future Plaza” building houses the Chamber of Commerce, a public library open to the local community, a popular beer restaurant, a Starbucks, and an impressive international conference hall. As a meeting planner, I could not help but imagine hosting an international conference here—that vision was the starting point for our bid to host the APacCHRIE Conference.
While Osaka-Ibaraki offers excellent access by public transportation, I understand that some international participants may feel hesitant about using an unfamiliar transit system. For this reason, part of the program will take place in Namba—arguably the most quintessentially “Osaka” area—at the Swissôtel Nankai Osaka, which offers direct train access from Kansai International Airport via the “Rapi:t” express. Shuttle buses will operate between Ibaraki and Namba. Depending on traffic conditions, the journey may take a little extra time, but we hope you will enjoy the conversation with your friends.
The APacCHRIE2026 Conference will be held in Japan for the first time, and we are deeply grateful for the support we have received from so many people and organization in making it possible. We hope this event will contribute to advancing research and education in the tourism and hospitality field - a sector expected to see continued growth and significance - in both the Asia-Pacific region and Japan. I look forward to welcoming you soon to Osaka.
Keiko Nishimoto, PhD, CMP
Professor, Ritsumeikan University Business School (RBS)
The Conference Chair of APacCHRIE2026
