POSITIONING A PREMIER KANSAI HOTEL GROUP FOR GLOBAL TRAVELERS

Hotel New Awaji Group is one of Kansai’s premier hospitality groups, founded in 1951 and operating more than 20 properties across the region. With decades of operational history and a strong domestic reputation, the group is recognized for its service standards, consistency, and deep connection to place.

The engagement focused on a central strategic question: how to thoughtfully expand the group’s appeal to Western travelers while preserving the cultural authenticity and hospitality values that have defined the brand for generations.

Rather than repositioning the hotels themselves, the work centered on clarifying narrative, experience, and communication strategies that resonate with international audiences unfamiliar with regional context and Japanese hospitality norms.

The consulting scope included experience and entertainment strategy across the guest journey identifying opportunities to make the stay more legible, engaging, and emotionally resonant for Western visitors. This included advising on experience development concepts, seasonal programming, and cultural framing that bridge expectation gaps without diluting authenticity.

The approach emphasized experiential clarity over spectacle, helping international guests understand the significance of destination, ritual, and setting, while allowing discovery to unfold naturally throughout the stay. The goal was to enhance appreciation and confidence, not to Westernize the experience.

SUPPORTING MARKETING, GRAPHICS, AND DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS

To support this strategic shift, Moongate advised on marketing content development, graphic systems, and website direction, ensuring visual language, messaging hierarchy, and storytelling frameworks align with international travel expectations while remaining consistent with the group’s premium positioning.

This work focused on enabling internal and external teams with clearer strategic guidance across content, design, and digital platforms, improving comprehension, engagement, and conversion among Western audiences without prescribing a single executional outcome.

The engagement reflects a strategy-first approach to hospitality, where experience design, communication, and brand alignment work together to support long-term international growth. The objective was not short-term rebranding, but durable relevance, helping a legacy hotel group evolve thoughtfully while staying true to its core identity.