Travel Sectors

JTB CEO talks about business focuses in 2024, from a product strategy to new tour routes for inbound travelers

JTB CEO talks about business focuses in 2024, from a product strategy to new tour routes for inbound travelers

JTB CEO Eijiro Yamakita talked about the JTB’ s business focuses in 2024 and business environment surrounding the tourism industry, pointing out three challenges for the tourism industry: worsening labor shortages, technology support, and sustainability initiatives.
JAL appoints former cabin attendant as its first female president

JAL appoints former cabin attendant as its first female president

JAL announced that Mitsuko Tottori will take office as new president on April 1 2024. Tottori, who came from a cabin attendant, will be the first female president for JAL.
Japan's leading travel agent HIS launches a new service for group travel to Hawaii, proposing a team-building program to corporate travel

Japan's leading travel agent HIS launches a new service for group travel to Hawaii, proposing a team-building program to corporate travel

HIS launches a new service for group travel, working together with Hawaii Tourism Authority and Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, offering ‘Malama Hawaii’ program on SDGs or regenerative tourism.
 Japan Association of Travel Agents is focusing on revival of outbound travel and high value travel  through 2024 as challenging themes

Japan Association of Travel Agents is focusing on revival of outbound travel and high value travel through 2024 as challenging themes

Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) is focusing on revival of outbound travel, regarding several anniversary events as good opportunities, and has an idea to support tourism in Hokuriku area that has catastrophically damaged by Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
An IR plan of Nagasaki Prefecture is not approved because of an uncertain fund rising plan

An IR plan of Nagasaki Prefecture is not approved because of an uncertain fund rising plan

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism decided not to accept an IR (Integrated Resort) plan applied by Nagasaki Prefecture and KYUSHU Resorts Japan mainly because of the certainty of fund rising.
JAL Group ZIP AIR will launch Narita-Vancouver services on March 13 2024 as its fourth North America route

JAL Group ZIP AIR will launch Narita-Vancouver services on March 13 2024 as its fourth North America route

ZIP AIR, a JAL Group hybrid airline, will begin serving three flights a week between Narita and Vancouver on March 13 2024. One-way airfares are from 101,325 JPY for ZIP Full-Flat Value.
JTB estimates the most-ever inbound travelers of 33.1 million to Japan in 2024, but outbound travelers are still expected to recover slowly

JTB estimates the most-ever inbound travelers of 33.1 million to Japan in 2024, but outbound travelers are still expected to recover slowly

JTB has forecasted that the number of Japanese travelers in 2024 are expected to reach 287.5 million, and the number of inbound travelers will reach the most-ever 33.1 million, 31.3% more than a year ago or 3.8% more than 2019.
Ride-sharing will be approved firstly for taxi operators in Japan in April 2024 and then extended to consumer-to-consumer service

Ride-sharing will be approved firstly for taxi operators in Japan in April 2024 and then extended to consumer-to-consumer service

The Japanese government has decided to approve ride-sharing service partially in April 2024. Firstly, taxi operators can be a ride-sharing operators in particular local areas suffering shortage of taxies.
ANA received the most bookings ever for Hawaii, and JAL 34% more bookings for Europe in this coming New Year holidays

ANA received the most bookings ever for Hawaii, and JAL 34% more bookings for Europe in this coming New Year holidays

In this coming New Year holiday period (December 28 2023 to January 3 2024), ANA has received 1.9 times more bookings for Hawaii than a year ago, and JAL has increased bookings for Europe by 34%.
Total sales of 43 Japanese major travel companies in October 2023 decreased by 23% over 2019

Total sales of 43 Japanese major travel companies in October 2023 decreased by 23% over 2019

Sales of 43 major travel companies in October 2023 were down 22.9% to 347 billion JPY compared to the same month of 2019. As sales of both domestic and overseas package tours were largely down, a trend to shift from group travel to FIT seemed to be strong.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China reveals visa wavier has given a big impact to the inbound travel market, increasing foreign visitors by 39% in December

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China reveals visa wavier has given a big impact to the inbound travel market, increasing foreign visitors by 39% in December

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China said that visa wavier for 6 countries has been working well, for the first three days, about 7,000 out of all travelers of about 18,000 from those countries entered China without visas.
Hankyu a major Japanese travel agent, and NAVITIME JAPAN work together to develop tours for inbound luxury travelers

Hankyu a major Japanese travel agent, and NAVITIME JAPAN work together to develop tours for inbound luxury travelers

Hankyu Travel International, a major travel company of Japan, and NAVITIME JAPAN, a navigation app provider, will jointly develop tours for luxury inbound travelers.
A major Japanese data company opens a capsule hotel specializing in sleep analysis as ‘sleep tech’

A major Japanese data company opens a capsule hotel specializing in sleep analysis as ‘sleep tech’

NTT Data, a major Japanese data company, will open a capsule hotel specializing in sleep analysis, acquiring, accumulating and analyzing sleep data using infrared cameras, sound-collecting microphones, and body movement sensors.
Amazon launches ‘Alexa’ for hotels as part of its first BtoB services, making bulk installation in a property possible

Amazon launches ‘Alexa’ for hotels as part of its first BtoB services, making bulk installation in a property possible

Amazon Japan (Amazon) has begun offering ‘Alexa Smart Properties (ASP)’ as a service for businesses using the personal AI assistant Alexa. Tokyu Hotels & Resorts will introduce Echo Show 8 to 56 premium class rooms at the lifestyle hotel "SAPPORO STREAM HOTEL" that will open in Sapporo on January 16 2024.
JTB forecasts total number of Japanese travelers during this coming New Year holidays will almost recover with record-high average domestic travel expenses

JTB forecasts total number of Japanese travelers during this coming New Year holidays will almost recover with record-high average domestic travel expenses

JTB forecasted the total number of Japanese travelers would be up 5% year on year or down 5% over 2019 to 28.6 million during this coming New Year holiday period. Domestic travelers are estimated at 28 million, and Japanese outbound travelers at 580,000.
Japan National Tourism Organization launches a special website for Osaka Kansai EXPO, encouraging inbound travelers to visit local areas

Japan National Tourism Organization launches a special website for Osaka Kansai EXPO, encouraging inbound travelers to visit local areas

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) launched a special website for the Osaka Kansai Expo, expecting the Expo is an opportunity to encourage inbound tourists to visit regional areas.
‘U.S.-Japan Tourism Year 2024’ is launched to strengthen tourism and business exchanges between the two countries

‘U.S.-Japan Tourism Year 2024’ is launched to strengthen tourism and business exchanges between the two countries

Japan and U.S. signed a memorandum of cooperation designating 2024 as the ‘U.S.-Japan Tourism Year’ to strengthen tourism and business exchanges between U.S. and Japan, hoping to return Japan to the number two spot in terms of number of visitors to U.S.
How should the Japan’s outbound market be boosted? 23 million Japanese people intend to travel abroad

How should the Japan’s outbound market be boosted? 23 million Japanese people intend to travel abroad

‘Symposium on Japanese outbound travel promotion’ at Tourism EXPO 2023 in Osaka focused on how the outbound travel market should be boosted, introducing market analyses by Spain, Malaysia and Thailand.
A tour to stay in a mountain cabin at the 5th station of Mt. Fuji in the winter is available at 79,200 JPY a person

A tour to stay in a mountain cabin at the 5th station of Mt. Fuji in the winter is available at 79,200 JPY a person

Sato-koya, a mountain cabin located in the 5th station of Mt.Fuji, will begin providing a tour to stay in the winter. The price is 79,200 JPY a night a person, including a variety of activities and a guide tour.
Price hike and breakfast menus largely influence satisfaction to stay in hotels in Japan

Price hike and breakfast menus largely influence satisfaction to stay in hotels in Japan

Guest satisfaction rates in Japan were down 30 points for mid-scale hotels and 19 points for economy hotels in 2023 compared to the previous survey, mainly affected by price hikes. Top up-scale hotel is Hilton.