[Event Report] ACCJ Speaker Session on TripAdvisor in Japan

On May 25, 2015, CCCJ members were invited to the TripAdvisor speaker session organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). Everyone had a great opportunity to meet Mr. Michael Stobo (APAC Market Development Team Leader at TripAdvisor)

Michael Stobo explained TripAdvisor as an American travel site widely used worldwide in which the company curates user-generated information on hotels, restaurants, and tourist sites. After that, he explained TripAdvisor`s mission in Japan. Their mission is to provide useful information to both Japanese and foreigners planning their trips within and outside of Japan by collecting user ratings, photographs, and reviews and by creating rankings. Mr. Stobo explained how TripAdvisor initially started and expanded, following with insights on how it strives to maintain accurate, current, and relevant information, and its foray into the Japanese market. Cynthia Usui, Chair of the ACCJ Tourism Industry Committee, spoke about TripAdvisor's impact on the hospitality industry in Japan. Mr Stobo utilized many graphs and statistical analysis to demonstrate TripAdvisor`s current impact in Japan. Since joining TripAdvisor in 2010, Michael Stobo mentioned about his career in Tripadvisor as he was responsible for the launch of over half of TripAdvisor's 46 sites, bringing the TripAdvisor experience to travelers in 15 new languages. In addition, he managed many projects to localize and optimize the experience for travelers in non English markets. Prior to joining TripAdvisor, Michael had extensive experience and  held positions at eBay, InfoSpace and Reuters. 

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Photos by: Colin, ACCJ

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