Tourexpi
Although local shopping centers, hotels, and restaurants celebrate the
recovery of tourism, the pandemic has prompted a heightened sense of awareness
among tourists towards crowded areas, introducing new challenges despite rising
business opportunities.
Challenge
Crowd control is a crucial challenge for Japanese businesses catering to
tourists, especially those in Tokyo – the capital city of Japan and
a hotspot for tourism. In particular, Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza, located
just on the outskirts of Tokyo City, caters to a seemingly endless
stream of foreign snow-seekers and summer escapists. The shopping mall has
naturally developed into a robust tourist hub complete with restaurants, cafes,
and restrooms. To prevent the over-concentration of people in specific areas,
the ability to monitor crowds in real-time and notify tourists of congestion is
vital for enhancing the consumer experience.
At the same time, a hotel located in the southern onsen village of
Yamanashi Prefecture faced a similar challenge. In response, the hotel was
outfitted with a manual counting system to control the number of visitors in
the hotel at any given time. This system was costly and prone to error,
directly affecting customer satisfaction. A technical solution was urgently
needed to resolve the hotel's crowding problem.
Solution
VIVOTEK devised a comprehensive solution to meet the surveillance
requirements of various commercial establishments in Japan. A total of 200
SC8131 Stereo Counting Network Cameras were installed in restaurants, hotels,
and other key tourist locations. The SC8131 camera features VIVOTEK's 3D Depth
Technology, providing real-time counting and tracking capabilities with an
accuracy of over 98%. The data collected by the cameras within the shopping
mall were then relayed to the host system and projected onto the digital
signages on each floor, providing insightful information about nearby
sightseeing locations and restaurants to tourists in real-time, thereby greatly
enhancing consumer satisfaction.
In the onsen hotel, the SC8131 Stereo Counting Network Cameras were
installed at the reception desk, in restaurants, and at the access points of
recreational areas and public baths. Guests can then use their smartphones to
scan a QR code in their rooms to receive crowd data in real-time, cutting
physical inquiries by 70% and significantly improving management efficiency. To
eliminate the controversy around installing cameras in public baths, the
VIVOTEK SC8131 is capable of maintaining the counter without recording
passersby. This functionality ensures tourists' privacy.
Results and Customer Feedback
With the system installed within the Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza,
visitors can now gain a clear overview of the crowding situations in different
areas directly from the digital signages, allowing them to avoid crowded areas.
The quality of the system components also translates to minimal downtime. The
solution at the onsen village hotel allows the vendor to keep track of foot traffic
in various facilities and maintain service quality. For managers, investments
in these solutions are beneficial as they will greatly cut labor costs down the
line. Furthermore, the simplistic and beautifully designed cameras integrate
seamlessly into the building environments, going up and beyond the expectations
of the Japanese customer in terms of functionality and aesthetics. The
solutions are also backed by VIVOTEK's Japan Field Office, which is on standby
to provide immediate support.
VIVOTEK, a leader in commercial IP surveillance solutions, had the
privilege of partnering with VACAN, winner of the J-Startup in 2019, to upgrade
a range of commercial facilities. VACAN specializes in AIoT and system
integration. With its contribution, VIVOTEK delivered a comprehensive
vCore-integrated surveillance solution that could convert detection data into
visual messages for smartphones and digital signages, greatly enhancing
notification efficiency.
Image Credit: © Vivotek
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