- Exhibiting at "Ferien-Messe Wien," Austria's Biggest Travel Fair - As part of efforts to lure tourists and promote exports of local specialties amid a recovery trend in inbound tourism, Shiga Prefecture will launch a PR campaign in Austria by exhibiting at a booth at Austria's largest holiday fair "Ferien-Messe Wien" to be held for the first time in three years. Shiga is the only Japanese local government to participate in the exhibition. Furthermore, Shiga officials will visit tour companies and relevant organizations in Austria to sell their prefecture's various charms and build relations with them. Shiga Prefecture logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202303103808-O1-JQQZvb4l 1. Running booth at travel fair Shiga Prefecture will display promotional items in the booth set up at the "Ferien-Messe Wien" by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) to attract inbound tourists and expand sales channels for its specialties. Period: March 16 (Thursday) - 19 (Sunday), 2023 Venue: Messe Wien, Vienna Visitors: People from the travel industry and other people interested in traveling (About 155,000 people visited the previous fair in 2020.) PR content: Promoting "Shiga rhythm" (Shiga's slow pace of life), "Biwaichi" (cycling route), Shiga's local sake (rice wine), Omi green tea, etc. Others: Direct sales to local travel agencies and food companies in Vienna Shiga rhythm logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202303103808-O3-3oSceT79 Biwaichi logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202303103808-O4-Yvzb72Ve 2. Visiting organizations in Austria - Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO) headquarters The visit is aimed at building relations with the ANTO headquarters in anticipation of receiving inbound tourists. - Burgenland State With ANTO's cooperation, Shiga officials will visit the government of Burgenland State, where the renowned Lake Neusiedl is located, to build relations and collect information with a view to future exchanges. They will also inspect cycling tourism and cycling environments. 3. Courtesy call to Japanese Embassy in Austria Shiga officials will make a courtesy call to the Japanese Ambassador to Austria to secure cooperation in establishing relations with local organizations and disseminating information on the prefecture. Shiga delegation comprising six representatives: One each from Department of General Policy Planning; Department of Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Labor; Department of Public Works and Transportation; and Biwako Visitors Bureau; and two from Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Background Austria and Biwako (Lake Biwa) similar in shape https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202303103808-O2-VclHxcHp After ANTO tweeted "Lake Biwa and Austria are similar in shape" (July 1, 2021), Shiga and Austria seized opportunities to promote mutual exchanges; information on Austria was communicated at the "Omi Spring Biwako Classical Music Festival" in 2022 and an Austria fair was held at "COCOSHIGA" (Shiga's specialty shop) in Tokyo. Source: Shiga Prefectural Government