Start of bus tour project with “Avatar Bus Guide”

Start of bus tour project with “Avatar Bus Guide” ​
AVITA Co., Ltd. Press release: November 8, 2024 Start of bus tour project with “Avatar Bus Guide” The first bus tour with VTuber will be held in Hannan City, Osaka Prefecture on December 1st Kansai Innovation Center General Incorporated Association (Chairman: Minoru Saotome, hereinafter referred to as our group) and AVITA Corporation (President, CEO/CTO: Hiroshi Ishiguro, hereinafter referred to as AVITA) have announced a bus tour project (avatar bus guide) utilizing avatar technology. We will start this project (hereafter referred to as this project). As the first step, we have planned a bus tour in Hannan City, Osaka Prefecture called “Would you like to go on a chat bus trip with VTubers? – Special Hannan! edition”, and it has been decided that it will be held on December 1st (Sunday). . This project aims to establish a new tourism model that will also contribute to the local economy for inbound tourists, who are expected to increase further in the run-up to the 2025 Osaka/Kansai Expo. In the future, we will contribute to the
development of a sustainable tourism industry by strengthening multilingual support and developing and expanding region-specific content with a view to expanding to other regions and cities. Image
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1. Background of this project • As the number of inbound tourists, which had been stagnant due to the coronavirus pandemic, is rapidly recovering, it is important to promote local culture, famous spots, etc. in order to avoid overtourism caused by tourists concentrating on specific tourist spots and promote wide-area tours. Securing human resources who can communicate the attractions and expanding tourism content are challenges. • Against this background, our group and AVITA will utilize avatar technology (*1) to propose a new form of bus tour in which avatars act as bus guides from remote locations, thereby addressing the issue of human resource shortages. We aim to provide a new tourism experience that corresponds to the above. *1:
Avatar-related technologies, including the avatar customer service service “AVACOM” provided by AVITA 2. First project implementation overview Collaboration project between “entertainment” professionals and “local information” professionals A new bus tour that introduces local information and culture in an attractive way, co-created by VTubers who have strengths such as conversation skills and planning skills to entertain participants, and avatars operated by locals who know the area well. We provide
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/85375/62/85375-62-44b17ec99928eb6b8cd4376120c5c934-1600×1067.png Tour name Would you like to take a chat bus trip with VTuber? ~Special Hannan! Edit Implementation schedule Sunday, December 1, 2024 10:00-18:00 (planned) Departure/arrival station Tennoji Station (Osaka Prefecture) Capacity 20 people Experience contents ・Interaction project with VTuber while traveling by bus ・Factory tour of Tsuki Cosmetics Factory ・Workshops using cotton produced in Hannan City, etc… Implementing body ・Kansai Innovation Center General
Incorporated Association: Project Management ・AVITA Co., Ltd.: Provision of avatar distribution technology Travel agency ・Holiday Travel Co., Ltd. (Registration number: Tokyo Governor Registered Travel Agency Type 2 No. 8193 Member organization: Japan Travel Agents Association) [Reservation application page]
https://travel.haveagood.holiday/specials/hannanbustour2 *Application deadline: 11/17 (Sun) *If there are many applicants, a lottery will be held. The lottery results will be announced by email to the winners around November 20th (Wednesday). [Participating VTuber]
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/85375/62/85375-62-f68f2b2bf569e9607c986ab77e818224-1200×1400.png Chiya Ichiya Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@senya_1ya X account: https://x.com/senya_1ya
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/85375/62/85375-62-327052f5c4cd187ed4e25eeb5f6a8675-1200×1400.png Tokoyo Moco Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@moko_tokoyo X account: https://x.com/moko_tokoyo
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/85375/62/85375-62-e441e8612a113104120c4643728db155-1200×1400.png Kokoroni Nonno (Nanahapi) Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@kokoroninonno X account:
https://x.com/kokoroninonno_7 About avatar customer service “AVACOM”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/85375/62/85375-62-7fc5089b21855e057ff8d815a28e4b57-1920×480.jpg “AVACOM” is an online customer service that streamlines customer service using AI technology such as avatars and generative AI. It supports multi-platforms, and by utilizing AI and remote customer service, we can increase sales and contracts through online customer service on the website, improve inquiry efficiency, unmanned stores and reception desks, and save labor. Contributes to resolving labor shortages. By combining AVACOM and Hiroshi Ishiguro’s more than 20 years of avatar research results (over 70 patent licenses, know-how gained through demonstration experiments, etc.), we will support a wide range of DX from major companies to small and medium-sized enterprises. We are creating a new way of working and employment called avatar workers, who can work from a remote location in the form of an avatar. • Click here for the AVACOM service page: Overview of each company About Kansai Innovation Center General Incorporated Association ■ Company profile Company name: Kansai Innovation Center General Incorporated Association Representative: Chairman Minoru Saotome Address: 3-6-3 Fushimi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Opening: February 2021 URL: https://www.muic-kansai.jp/ ■ Business overview Our organization was established by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (Representative Executive Officer and President, Hiroki Kamezawa) and Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, Ltd. (Director, President and Executive Officer, Junichi Hanzawa), and is dedicated to revitalizing the Kansai economy and hosting the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. We conduct activities aimed at contributing to the success of About AVITA Co., Ltd. ■ Company profile Company name: AVITA Co., Ltd. Representative: Hiroshi Ishiguro, President and CEO/CTO Address: 18th floor, Arco Tower, 1-8-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo Established: June 2021 URL: ■ Business overview Service development using avatars and generative AI (avatar customer service “AVACOM”, role play support service “Abatore”) / Marketing support using avatars and generative AI (Travel agency) About Holiday Travel Co., Ltd. ■ Company profile Company name: Holiday Travel Co., Ltd. Representative: Representative Director Taichi Suwa Location: 4F Takamichi Building, 2-15-16 Nihonbashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Established: November 2021 URL:
https://travel.haveagood.holiday/ ■ Business overview Focusing on tours and experiences while traveling, we offer a one-stop service from planning to implementation of inbound tours for tourists visiting Japan, as well as fan tours and fan meetings for domestic and international influencers. In 2023, we provided tours to over 10,000 people in one year.