A few thoughts. First, it is a really cute story, and I’m glad you shared it. It feels very Japanese.
Second, marketing and tourism aren’t often considered as major areas for economic development and growth (at least not in the popular press books I’ve read or the EA circles I’ve been in), but this is a simple little case study to demonstrate that having a mascot (or anything else that people like, from fancy buildings to locations tied to things people like) can drive economic activity. But it is also hard to predict in advance what will be a hit. I bet that lots of places have beautiful murals, cute animals, historical importance, lovely scenery, and similar attractions without having much of a positive return on investment. For me, the notable think about Tama’s story is how little money was needed to add something special to the local station. A lot of investments related to tourism are far more expensive.
A final thought, one that maybe folks more versed in economics can help me with. Should we consider this an example of economic growth? Is this just shifting spending/consumption from one place to another? Would people who spent money to ride this train otherwise would have spent that money doing something else: riding a different train, visiting a park, etc.
A few thoughts. First, it is a really cute story, and I’m glad you shared it. It feels very Japanese.
Second, marketing and tourism aren’t often considered as major areas for economic development and growth (at least not in the popular press books I’ve read or the EA circles I’ve been in), but this is a simple little case study to demonstrate that having a mascot (or anything else that people like, from fancy buildings to locations tied to things people like) can drive economic activity. But it is also hard to predict in advance what will be a hit. I bet that lots of places have beautiful murals, cute animals, historical importance, lovely scenery, and similar attractions without having much of a positive return on investment. For me, the notable think about Tama’s story is how little money was needed to add something special to the local station. A lot of investments related to tourism are far more expensive.
A final thought, one that maybe folks more versed in economics can help me with. Should we consider this an example of economic growth? Is this just shifting spending/consumption from one place to another? Would people who spent money to ride this train otherwise would have spent that money doing something else: riding a different train, visiting a park, etc.