Sustainable Urban Tourism with Green-Slow Mobility: A Case of Ikebukuro, Japan

Abstract

This study investigates how green-slow mobility services can contribute to sustainable urban tourism development. It first reviews the literature related to green-slow mobility and sustainable urban tourism to identify a research gap. It then discusses how green-slow mobility services can nurture the atmosphere of slow tourism in urban areas based on the case of the Ikebus, a green-slow mobility service in Ikebukuro, Japan. The case of the Ikebus is described based on secondary data, mainly from Toshima City in Tokyo, Japan. Based on the Ikebus case, this study proposes that green-slow mobility can enhance the slow tourism atmosphere in a destination through the destination’s residents and workers. The case demonstrates that, with strategic planning and implementation, green-slow mobility can lead local residents and workers to feel a greater attachment to the city. As the symbol of Ikebukuro, the Ikebus will signal to tourists and visitors that residents and workers in Toshima City are supportive of providing tourists and visitors with local tourism experiences. This study proposes a preliminary new idea that green-slow mobility can serve as a catalyst to realize slow tourism in urban destinations.