Akan, Japan, March 15th, 2024 - The Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival officially announced this year’s results, marking the beginning of the CIFFT Circuit 2024, the most prestigious competition worldwide for tourism videos and campaigns. The festival took place in Akan, Hokkaido, from March 13th to 15th.
During the festival, Akan became a global stage for showcasing the best tourism audiovisual productions and recognizing the accomplishments of tourism destinations, production companies, and filmmakers. At the award ceremony, held on March 15th, over 40 awards were revealed.
One of the standout winners was the promotional video "Sky Painter" by Travel Alberta from Canada, which received the prestigious Grand Prix award. The production also took home a special award for Best Cinematography and a Gold Award in the Tourism Products category.
The festival awarded promotional videos and campaigns in categories related to tourism promotion, including destinations City, Region, Country, Tourism Products, and Tourism Services. Among the winners were videos from Switzerland Tourism, Singapore Tourism Board, Lithuania Travel, Visit Sweden, and Slovenian Tourist Board, among others.
In addition to the international competition, the Japan World's Tourism Film Festival also featured a national competition that showcased the creativity and talent within Japan's tourism industry. The Japanese Grand Prix went to the promotional video “Keppyo,” while an Asian Grand Prix was assigned to the promotional video “Wanderlust Bali: The Land of Enchantment.”
To receive awards, all the videos were evaluated by an international jury panel. With a record-breaking number of entries for the 2024 edition, the festival set the first results of the CIFFT Circuit 2024, and the winners of the international competition also scored points toward the CIFFT Rankings.
At the end of the year, the top five positions in the rankings will be awarded at the World Tourism Film Awards in Valencia, Spain. The exceptional quality of the videos presented at the JWTFF underscores the competitiveness that can be expected within the CIFFT Circuit 2024.
In addition to the award ceremony, the festival's program included cultural presentations, excursions, forums, film screenings, and an ART&FACTORY competition, in which international teams of filmmakers created a video about the scenic Akan, renowned for its breathtaking winter landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and indigenous Ainu legacy. It was a celebration of the best in tourism promotion and Japanese culture.
Since 2021, the Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival has been an official member of the International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals and part of the CIFFT Circuit competition alongside other tourism and corporate film festivals worldwide.
About CIFFT:
The International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals (CIFFT), an affiliate member of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is a globally recognized platform dedicated to promoting excellence in tourism-related audiovisual content. The CIFFT Circuit aims to celebrate the creativity and effectiveness of tourism campaigns, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within the industry. The competition is endorsed by the European Travel Commission (ETC), Central America Tourism Agency (CATA), Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Skal International, and counts on the support of the Tourism and Society Think Tank (TSTT).
