I am writing to you just after my visit to our Discova Japan office in the heart of bustling Tokyo, where things seem to be far from slowing down before the festive season. Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to attend not one but two events that capture our company values quite nicely.
First, I attended our Guide Appreciation Evening, held in honour of our incredible cultural ambassadors who welcome our guests into their country and proudly showcase its most authentic and local corners. We have similar annual events across our destinations to acknowledge and thank our incredible guides who immerse guests in vibrant communities, fostering meaningful connections that leave a lasting impression.
Next, it was time to watch an exciting game of Ice Hockey, where we championed and sponsored the professional Men’s Team Yokohama Grits. They are the first team to adopt a dual career model where the management helps hockey players secure employment to boost their player income. This initiative also helps them build skills and a career outside the ice rink. We employ their goalkeeper Kai Tomita who works in our operations department at Discova Japan and we support him with flexible working hours so he can train in the mornings with his team. His off-season nicely coincides with Discova’s peak season!
At the Ice Hockey event, we also partnered with Girl Scout Japan to highlight Kaura Collective, our community-rooted initiative that celebrates traditional knowledge, regenerative practices, and women’s empowerment through handcrafted products made from the communities that we work with. The proceeds from the sold products will be returned to our local communities, who can continue generating an income while preserving their cultural heritage and traditional craftsmanship.
While I was in Japan, several of my colleagues ran the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon in Siem Reap, Cambodia, to raise funds for the Eileen Yee Educational Fund, which supports high school education of disadvantaged students across our grassroots communities in Asia. We have raised nearly USD 45,000 towards our three-year goal of USD 90,900 to financially assist 101 students in Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. Click here to contribute to this fund.
As one of Asia’s leading destination management companies, our people and planet come before our profit, and our profit supports our purpose. While we continue to grow and expand across Asia, this year has been a great testament to how our people remain front and centre of who we are and what we do.
In 2026, I hope you will continue supporting us in our sustainable tourism initiatives through purpose-driven journeys that contribute to a thriving planet, empowered communities, and a lasting positive legacy.
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and stay at the forefront of new product offerings, Discova behind-the-scenes, destination news, travel trends and thought leadership articles from our on-the-ground experts.