Travel Sectors
Virgin Australia will launch its first Japan service from Cairns in June 2023, expanding code-shares with ANA
Virgin Australia announced launch of its first Japan service between Cairns and Haneda with the Boeing 737-8 on June 28 2023, expanding code-share flights with ANA. They expect that Japanese passengers may be 60 to 70% of the total on average through a year.
Bullet train Shinkansen can be chartered as an event venue with a variety of surprising options-JTB
JTB, the Japanese leading travel company, has started selling ‘Chartered Shinkansen Package’ for a group, expecting that Shinkansen can be an unique venue for an original event.
HIS, one of the Japanese leading travel companies, still suffered from deficit in FY2022 despite large increases in sales
HIS, one of the Japanese leading travel companies, still suffered from net loss of 9.5 billion JPY for the full year of FY2022 ended October 31 2022 despite an increase in sales to 142.8 billion JPY because of gradual recovery of the travel business.
Hotel Okura, a luxury hotel group in Japan, will open a new hotel in the capital of Oman in 2027
Hotel Okura, one of the luxury hotel group in Japan, announced that ‘the Okura Resort Muscat’ will open in Muscat, the capital of Oman, in 2027.
More than 90% of hotels and ryokans in Japan say that purchase cost rose
According to Japan Finance Corporation (JFC)’s survey, 76.6% of the surveyed companies said that purchase cost has risen over the last year, and for the next year, 92.2% said that purchase cost will continue rising.
Japanese travelers are estimated at 21 million domestically and 150,000 internationally during this coming New Year holidays - JTB
JTB has forecasted that domestic travelers will increase by 16.7% year on year to 21 million during this coming New Year holidays, which will be 28.2% fewer travelers than 2019, and the average travel expenses will be up 12.1% to 37,000 JPY, which will be 15.6% more than even 2019.
JTB develops a data hub connecting PMS for accommodations with business support solutions
JTB has developed ‘JTB Data Connect HUB’ connecting property management system (PMS) for accommodation with a variety of business support solutions.
Tokyo Metro sells a set of 100 or 50 one-day passes on Amazon
Tokyo Metro has begun selling a set of one-day passes on Amazon since November 29 2022 as its first year-around online ticket sales.
70% of hotels and ryokans in Japan suffer from labour shortage while domestic travel demand rapidly grows
Labour shortage of full-time employees was seen in 65.4% of hotels and ryokans (51.1% on average), and labour shortage of part-time employees in 75% of hotels and ryokans (31% on average). , according to the latest Teikoku Databank’s survey.
Nationwide travel discount program is extended to the next year despite smaller discount rate
Japan Tourism Agency announced that the nationwide travel discount program will be extended to December 27 2022 (checkout on December 28) from originally December 21 2022 and to even the next year despite smaller discount rate.
JTB doubled half-year sales with better results in domestic travel, BPO and MICE, expecting full-year profit
JTB increased sales for the first six months of FY2022 (April to September 2022) by 115% year on year to 386.3 billion JPY because of good recovery of domestic travel, BPO (business process outsourcing) and MICE and cost reduction efforts, expecting a final net profit for the full year of FY 2022 ended March 31 2023.
Domestic travel sales of 43 travel companies in Japan in September 2022 recovered to 80% of the 2019 level
Sales of 43 major travel companies increased by 114.3% year on year to 227 billion JPY in total in September 2022. Sales in domestic travel were up 94.2% year on year to 186.5 billion JPY, which were down 21% compared to September 2019.
JAL expands pre-cancellation service of in-flight meals on international flights to reduce food loss
JAL will expand its pre-cancellation service of in-flight meals ‘JAL Ethical Choice Meal Skip Option’ to all international routes in December 2022 for reduction of food loss.
The leisure market of Japan shrank by 23% in 2021 compared to 2019, according to Leisure White Paper 2022
‘Leisure White Paper 2022’ in Japan says that domestic leisure travel dropped from top in 2019 to 4th in 2020 and to 6th in 2021 among major leisure activities, and travelers reduced from 33.9 million in 2020 to 32.2 million in 2021.
Railway company JR West and travel company NTA jointly create a helicopter tour toward the future ‘flying car’ service
JR West Innovations and Nippon Travel Agency (NTA) are working together to create a helicopter tour product in order to improve social acceptance of the future ‘flying car’ service.
A Japanese joint venture for domestically produced SAF was launched with an initial goal of 30,000 kiloliters a year
Cosmo Energy Group, JGC Holdings and REVO International established ‘SAFFAIRE SKY ENERGY’ to produce and supply cooking oil-origin sustainable air fuel (SAF), aiming to to supply 30,000 kiloliters a year in Japan.
Jalpak wins NO.1 customer satisfaction in the travel industry, and Skymark is top in domestic long-haul transportation
According to Japanese Customer Satisfaction Index 2022 (JCSI 2022), Jalpak won NO.1 customer satisfaction, followed by ikyu.com, Hankyu Travel, JTB and ANA Travelers in the travel industry.
Rakuten Travel, a Japanese leading OTA, visualizes sustainable efforts by hotels and ryokan
Rakuten Travel, a Japanese leading OTA, has released ‘Sustainable Icon’ to introduce sustainable efforts by hotels and ryokans on its booking platform and give ‘Sustainable Travel Badge’ to them.
Japanese guest nights in September 2022 restored to a 5.4% decrease from pre-pandemic level
The total number of Japanese guest nights in September 2022 (provisionally) was up 70.5% year on year to 38.3 million, which were 5.4% fewer guests nights than the same month in 2019. The occupancy rate was 46.9% overall.
45% of hotels and ryokans in Japan are expected to increase revenue in FY2022, but still have long ways to full recovery
45% of about 800 targeted hotels and ryokans in Japan are expected to increase annual revenue for FY2022, according to Teikoku Databank. the most challenge to full-scale recovery is labor shortage in the hospitality industry
