Okinawa Cycle Tourism Council Okinawa Cycle Tourism Promotion Council

About the Okinawa Cycle Tourism Promotion Project

In Okinawa Prefecture, to address key challenges in the tourism sector—namely, “balancing the off-season (primarily winter) and peak season (primarily summer)” and “increasing per-person tourism spending through measures such as extending the length of stay”—the prefecture launched the “Cycle Tourism Promotion Project” as a new initiative in fiscal year 2024. This project aims to improve cycling infrastructure within the prefecture and attract more tourists from other parts of Japan and overseas.

Furthermore, the “Okinawa Prefecture Bicycle Utilization Promotion Plan” (March 2021, Okinawa Prefecture Department of Public Works and Construction) and the “Second Okinawa Prefecture Sports Promotion Plan” (March 2022, Okinawa Prefecture Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports) set the designation of National Cycle Routes within the prefecture as a goal, and we plan to continue our efforts toward this end.

About the Okinawa Cycle Tourism Promotion Council

In connection with the implementation of the aforementioned Okinawa Cycle Tourism Promotion Project, we have established a public-private partnership council composed of representatives from government, industry, and private-sector entities to gather input on policies and necessary activities aimed at promoting cycle tourism within Okinawa Prefecture.
The plans and activities formulated to date are as follows.

[Plan]

Formulation of the Basic Plan for Promoting Cycling Tourism in Okinawa (March 2025)

We are formulating a basic vision to promote cycle tourism, which aims to improve the infrastructure for cycle tourism within Okinawa Prefecture, attract more tourists from both Japan and abroad, and foster greater understanding of cycle tourism among the prefecture’s residents.

Formulation of the Okinawa Cycle Tourism Action Plan (March 2025)

An action plan to implement the basic framework. It outlines specific actions for carrying out the initiatives (including initiatives, objectives, details, implementing entities, challenges, methods, and implementation schedules).

Formulation of the Okinawa Cycle Tourism Promotion Roadmap (March 2026)

A roadmap that consolidates specific actions required to implement these initiatives and compiles them into an implementation plan. Starting in fiscal year 2026, the Okinawa Cycle Tourism Promotion Council will monitor progress.

▼For details on the basic concept, action plan, and roadmap, please visit the link below.
Okinawa Prefecture Official Website, Sports Promotion Division, "Cycle Tourism"

[Initiatives]

Symposium on "Cycle Tourism from Okinawa: Creating an Eco-Friendly and Healthy Future Together with the Community" (Saturday, November 8, 2025) (Organized by Okinawa Prefecture)

In Okinawa Prefecture, bicycle ownership rates are below the national average, creating a need to promote bicycle use within the prefecture. In the tourism sector as well, bicycles are gaining attention as a mode of transportation that allows visitors to experience the region’s charm firsthand, and they are viewed as a sustainable tourism option that is both environmentally friendly and beneficial to health.
By collaborating with and holding this symposium concurrently with the "Tour de Okinawa," we encouraged participation from a wider range of stakeholders in the cycling and tourism industries, creating a forum where residents, local governments, tourism operators, and the business community could come together to envision the future of cycling.

We exchanged views while focusing on the significance of seeking designation as a National Cycle Route, the utilization of local resources, the development of infrastructure to accommodate cyclists, initiatives to increase the number of users, the ripple effects on the local economy, the creation of new businesses, and employment opportunities.

Fun Parent-Child Cycling Event with Olympian Kohei Uchima (Sunday, December 21, 2025)

As part of our social contribution activities, we hosted a parent-child cycling event featuring Olympian Kohei Uchima as the guest instructor. The event aimed to raise traffic safety awareness among children in Chatan Town, promote cycling culture, deepen family bonds, and encourage physical fitness through a fun cycling experience for parents and children. Additionally, the event served as a pilot program, and we held discussions with stakeholders to use this initiative as a model for expanding similar activities in the future. 

Contact Information

Okinawa Prefecture Cycle Tourism Promotion Council
(Secretariat: Sports Promotion Division, Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, Okinawa Prefecture)
1-2-2 Izumizaki, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture 900-8570
TEL: 098-866-2708