Why tourist information centers belong to Asia's best attractions

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Many travelers combine tourist information centers with cards and the search for the nearest public toilet. But for Tammy Mermelstein, their visits in these information stands were some of the highlights of their latest vacation in Japan.

preparation for the trip to Japan

The mother of two children living in Houston spent more than a year with planning her family's three -week trip to Japan. Although she brought some special souvenirs, like remnants of a kimono from a flea market, it is the book full of stamps that she collected in tourist information centers and other attractions that she shows particularly proudly.

a change in Europe

In some parts of Europe, tourist information centers are gradually becoming superfluous. Paris closed its last information center in January, right next to the Eiffel Tower. Scotland has also announced that all information centers will be closed by the end of 2025.

tourism authorities in both cities cite social media and the widespread access to smartphones as reasons for the closures. These institutions have introduced a "digital first" model in which the focus is on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, supplemented by special WhatsApp channels for travelers with specific questions.

growth of the information centers in Asia

While some experts are already prophesy for personal support in tourist information centers, the number of information stands in Asian countries increases. According to Xiang Li, the director of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, these centers are flourishing due to the different ways of thinking in the region. "Asian tourists usually appreciate structured instructions and personal explanations," he explains. "Many of these travelers are less experienced in international trips and have language barriers, which makes personal interactions and support particularly important to them."

The role of interaction

South Korea had around 300 tourist information centers in 2015; Now there are already 638. This number includes employees who are referred to as "Moving Tourist Info Centers" and are in busy districts such as the Myeongdong in Seoul to answer questions. These employees wear striking red t-shirts and cowboy hats and speak Chinese, Japanese or English.

"Visitor centers in Asia prioritize interaction and service as their most important aspects in order to meet the needs of tourists in a collectivist culture," says Xiang. "In contrast, European visitor centers mainly focus on information and education to serve tourists in a context that emphasizes individual attention."

Japan and the stamp culture

Japan opened 250 new information centers between 2018 and 2024 to react to overtourism and to take into account the needs of international travelers in several languages. The government recently issued the goal of receiving 60 million tourists annually by 2030.

The tourist centers in Japan are not only information points, but also attractions in themselves. Each center has a unique stamp that is known in Japanese as "Eki Sutanpu". Travelers who collect these stamps in their tourist passes often visit the information stands, even if they do not need specific help. These stamps are free souvenirs who honor the Japanese culture of art, and even compare travel Youtuber and tiktoker, which is the most beautiful or hardest execution.

The rage of collecting and local conversations

This collective rage is referred to in English as “Stamp Rallying”. The Thai entrepreneur Patrick Pakanan originally founded the Stampquest app for his wife, the passionate stamp collector. Pakanan spent part of his childhood in Japan and speaks fluently Japanese, but he uses every opportunity to enter a tourist information center. "It is a good way to start a conversation with the locals to find out what to eat, what is known here or which business you recommend," he says.

The mother Mermelstein agrees. Although she visited the information centers to collect her stamps and get advice, her family spent as much time there as in a museum. In one of the centers, an employee showed her daughters how to write their names in Japanese, in another one woman brought Kimonos who could wear the girls and took photos of them. Some centers even have special play areas for small children.

Although Pakanan does not collect a stamp itself, he immediately visits an information office for every new area in Japan. "No matter where you go diving, you need a diving master, right? Well, this is the local diving master."

Editorial note: CNNS Gawon Bae and Chris Lau contributed to reporting.