JTB deletes bus accident information - Questioning transparency and public relations response President's appearance at 'Cambria Palace'
As accidents during sightseeing tours continue, the way JTB and club tourism disclose information is being questioned. Regarding the bus accident that occurred during a tour across Malaysia organized by JTB on October 24, 2024, it was confirmed that the "Notice of Accident" posted on the company's official website had since been deleted.
This Bus Accident One Japan woman in her 70s was killed and injured. On October 25, the day after the accident, JTB held a press conference where President Eijiro Yamakita gave an overview of the accident and apologized. At the same time, the corporate site of the official JTB website has a Notice "Regarding the bus accident in Malaysia that occurred on October 24, 2024" Information about the occurrence of the accident was published.
However, on December 9th, when Good Travel News News checked the official JTB website, it was deleted from the site along with the headline of the text.
The advantage of a company's official website is that it can store a large amount of information. However, it is unlikely that the information will be removed from the official website shortly after the announcement of a serious accident as a public relations response for the company. In particular, the information posted on the corporate website is different from the sale information of travel products, and is of a nature that is expected to be released over a long period of time.
Deletion of accident information - JTB's transparency questioned
The JTB Public Relations Department stated that the reason for the deletion was "to inform people of the occurrence of the accident, and that awareness has been achieved." The decision to delete the document was made at an internal meeting involving management, and when I asked if there were any objections, he said, "I can't tell you the content of the meeting."
Furthermore, when asked about the release of newly obtained information after the press conference, he said, "The accident is left to the investigation by the local authorities and there are no plans," and "We are responding in good faith to the victims and their families."
In 2022, JTB formulated " Basic Policy on Corporate Governance "We will strive to establish a sound, transparent, and efficient management system, including the fulfillment of management responsibility and accountability." However, this deletion has left issues in terms of accountability to stakeholders and ensuring transparency.
The timing of the appearance on the popular show "Cambria Palace"
On December 6, JTB announced the release of a TV Tokyo news documentary, " Cambria Palace President Yamakita will appear and JTB will be featured. announcement Have.
The theme of the program is "Resurrection from Corona! JTB Great Evolution". President Yamakita will talk in the studio about the company's strategy and management reforms against the backdrop of a recovery in domestic travel and a surge in inbound demand.
Cambria Palace is an influential program for companies as a PR venue, and it is expected that this broadcast will increase access to the official JTB website. On the other hand, the timing of the appearance on the program and the deletion of accident information also coincided, raising questions about the company's PR response.
Club tourism is based on the presence or absence of "fatalities"
In October, the same month as the bus accident during JTB's Malaysia tour, a fatal accident occurred on a bus tour in Turkey organized by Club Tourism, a travel agency of the Japan Tourist Group. In addition, on December 9th, in Okayama Prefecture Bus rollover accident It was an accident in which two people broke their bones.
In Club Tourism Travel booking sites and Corporate Site is a notice about fatal accidents in Turkey. However, there is no information about bus rollover accidents in Okayama Prefecture. When I checked with Club Tourism about this response, they explained that "the presence or absence of deaths is the standard for posting."
When asked if it was necessary to provide information to consumers about the accident in Okayama Prefecture, he said, "We will hold a press conference and we will not outsource the operation to the bus company that caused the accident," and in response to the question, he replied, "I will take it as an opinion."
KNT-CT Holdings, the parent company of Club Tourism, is a group company that has announced that " Compliance Policy We declare that we will conduct fair and transparent business with all customers based on the principle of self-responsibility.
Japan Tourism Agency's Position
When asked about JTB's stance on disclosing information on club tourism, the agency stated, "We provide guidance to travel agencies on ensuring the safety of travelers in accordance with the Travel Agency Act, but the disclosure of information after an accident is not stipulated in the Travel Agency Act and is left to the judgment of companies." When I asked him if he understood the problem, he replied, "I understand that."
Since the Japan Tourism Agency provides guidance and supervision to travel agencies in accordance with the Travel Agency Act, it is inevitable that they will rely on each company's governance policies and public relations stance in disclosing accident information and ensuring transparency. As a result, there is a possibility that consumers' "right to know" will not be adequately protected.
Challenges and Importance of Transparency
In the travel industry, information asymmetry can be life-threatening. As such, transparency is an essential responsibility for businesses, especially the publication of information about major incidents, which is crucial to building consumer trust.
The response of the two companies this time seems to be hiding an inconvenient case, and it is pointed out that there is a lack of consumer perspective. In the future, it will be necessary to take advantage of the preservation that is a characteristic of the Internet and cultivate a public relations mindset that emphasizes transparency.
