Communication and Aso Tourism Revival Post-Earthquake 2016 — Using Web Technology for English Information Spread

Jeffrey Stewart Morrow

Faculty of Environmental and Symbiotic Sciences, Department of Environmental Resources, Prefectural University of Kumamoto,

Japan

Abstract: In April of 2016, two large magnitude earthquakes suddenly hit Kumamoto, Japan, strongly affecting areas around the prefecture, especially the tourist area of Minami Aso northeast of Kumamoto City. Due to communication difficulties and the slump in tourism, the goal of this research was to create web technology applications for two areas: 1) to facilitate the return of international travelers to the Aso-Kuju National Park by promoting earthquake safety and information in English, and 2) to assist tourism employees in English for both explaining the environment around Aso in addition to interesting ecotourism offerings. The author and the research

team conducted face-to-face interviews to collect both demographic data and data regarding Earthquake damage. Results found business owners wished to increase English usage to promote the area globally through detailed web technology such as environmental and earthquake safety Internet applications, which could be used for imminent disaster notification in English and notifying international travelers of the plethora of ecotourism related activities Aso-Kuju has to offer.

Key words: earthquake information; English communication in Aso; web technology for English information; disaster information; ecotourism promotion in English component