Luxury Ryokan Collection opens Seattle office to serve North America
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Luxury Ryokan Collection opens Seattle office to serve North America
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Category: North America & West Indies / Carribean islands -
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2005-11-02
The Luxury Ryokan Collection (LRC), www.luxuryryokan.com, a pioneer luxury brand of the finest ryokans across Japan continues its expansion plans by opening a Seattle Office with effect from 04 October 2005.
Says LRC Managing Director Mr Hiroki Fukunaga, “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Steven Corless and Ms Matsumi Kakuyama as Regional Directors, based in Seattle. Both Steve and Matsumi will focus on sales and marketing for LRC, our soon-to-be launched second brand of ryokans and our Japan Concierge Service. Both Steve and Matsumi report directly to our Executive Director, Ms Cecilia Tee, based in Hong Kong.”
Born in Seattle, Corless is very familiar with the Japanese market, having spent 15 years in the country. His last position was director of the Tokyo office of a US trade association where he worked with US firms to develop new business opportunities in the Japanese market.
Prior to this, he was the Commercial Attaché at the American Embassy based in Tokyo with the responsibility for the travel and tourism, consumer goods and financial services portfolios. Mr Corless also managed the US Government travel industry promotion program in Japan and played a key role as the US Embassy representative responsible for the development and implementation of a bilateral tourism promotion initiative between the United States and the Government of Japan designed to increase US travel to Japan and Japanese outbound travel following the events of September 11, 2001.
He also held other senior management positions during his tenure in Japan. Corless is fluent in both spoken and written Japanese.
Native Japanese, Kakuyama has held various positions at the Akasaka Prince Hotel in Tokyo, Japan as well as the Four Seasons Hotel at Chinzanso, Japan. She then joined the State of Indiana East Asian Office based in Yokohama, Japan as their Trade Promotion Specialist and assisted Indiana companies seeking agents and distributors in Japan to develop contacts with qualified importers. In her role, she also promoted Indiana tourism in Japan.
Kakuyama’s last position was Conference Service Manager at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel at Chinzanso, Japan. Her network of contacts includes VIP guests from the USA, Europe, and the Saudi royal family.
She holds a BA in Comparative Cultures (International Affairs and Politics) and is a graduate of Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. Kakuyama speaks fluent English and Korean.
Explains Executive Director Ms Cecilia Tee, “The USA is our number one contributor to LRC and accounts for 70% of our business to date. We are also confident that both Steve and Matsumi-san will help us increase this business further.”
LRC is the pioneer luxury brand of a selection of the finest ryokans across Japan offering exclusive services to valued guests including interpretation, free mobile phone, wine cellar services, multinational language guides, luxury hotels in key cities as well as transportation services.
Ryokans are traditional inns that hark back to medieval times and can be considered national treasures of Japan, particularly those at the highest end where there are only about 200 in existence. LRC consists only of Category AAA ryokans, each with its own rich history. A ryokan stay offers travelers the experience of the authentic traditional Japanese culture and customs and an indulgence in old-fashioned Japanese hospitality and service at its legendary best.
LRC is the first company to provide a bi-lingual English & Chinese website in Japan, the first to offer exclusive services to international guests and the first to provide a global sales and marketing platform to luxury ryokans.
For USA enquiries on Luxury Ryokan Collection, please contact:
Mr Steve Corless or Ms Matsumi Kakuyama
3649, 39th Avenue West
Seattle, WA98199
Tel: 206 282 0727
Fax: 206 352 9097
Email: info-usa@luxuryryokan.com
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