Digital

What are recent Japanese overseas traveler trends?  From more luxury movement to AI analysis of customer behavior

What are recent Japanese overseas traveler trends? From more luxury movement to AI analysis of customer behavior

Skyscanner and HIS talked about the recent Japanese overseas traveler trends based on their data. Skyscanner introduced a logical travel as a new travel style to maximize cost performance.
The next generation hotel check-in with international-standard digital passport only is tested in Japan

The next generation hotel check-in with international-standard digital passport only is tested in Japan

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) and USEN-ALMEX have begun testing the next generation hotel check-in system using international-standard digital passport, targeting travelers from South Korea first.
Hakone DMO of Japan released AI-based restaurant reservation service for international visitors to help them find what they want to eat

Hakone DMO of Japan released AI-based restaurant reservation service for international visitors to help them find what they want to eat

Hakone DMO, a local DMO in popular tourist destination in Japan, and TripX, a AI development startup, officially released ‘RecRing,’ an AI-based restaurant reservation service for international visitors.
Digital Travel APAC 2026 will open in March in Singapore, covering from AI exploration to real-world execution (ticket discount is available for Travel Voice readers) [PR]

Digital Travel APAC 2026 will open in March in Singapore, covering from AI exploration to real-world execution (ticket discount is available for Travel Voice readers) [PR]

[PR] ‘Digital Travel APAC 2026’ will be organized as a travel-tech event in APAC for two days from March 24 to 25 2026 in Singapore, designed for travel-tech leaders in all sessions. The theme is ‘Reimagining Travel in APAC: Smarter, Deeper, More Human.'
JTB reveals a new long-term vision for 2035 to shift a core of the business structure to ‘Intelligence’

JTB reveals a new long-term vision for 2035 to shift a core of the business structure to ‘Intelligence’

JTB drew up a new long-term vision ‘OPEN FRONTIER 2035’ for 2035. Under the vision, ‘exchange creation intelligence’ is placed as a source of the JTB group’s values and a base supporting higher and more diversified exchanges.
Shizuoka was the top airport international travelers from Asia arrived-NAVITIME JAPAN analysis

Shizuoka was the top airport international travelers from Asia arrived-NAVITIME JAPAN analysis

According to NAVITIME JAPAN data, Shizuoka was the top airport international travelers from Asia arrived , and Naha from Europe, U.S. and Australia.
Uber Japan links with Rakuten ID for ride-hailing and food delivery services, returning Rakuten points to the linked users

Uber Japan links with Rakuten ID for ride-hailing and food delivery services, returning Rakuten points to the linked users

Rakuten Group, Uber Japan, and Uber Eats Japan formed a strategic partnership with the linkage of Rakuten IDs. They expect that a variety of possibilities in the Rakuten Ecosystem will happen.
45% of International travelers arriving in Kansai Airport book local experiences in Japan before their departures

45% of International travelers arriving in Kansai Airport book local experiences in Japan before their departures

According to Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB), 45% of international travelers arriving in Kansai Airport booked them before their departures. The most-used booking platform was Klook.
LINE Yahoo! integrates communication windows into AI agents to support clients seamlessly from design to target in advertising

LINE Yahoo! integrates communication windows into AI agents to support clients seamlessly from design to target in advertising

LINE Yahoo! (LY) held the corporate event "LINE Yahoo! BIZ Conference 2025" to explain the concept of ‘AI First.’ LY is forming a platform that AI agents autonomously guide customers through purchases, reservations, and various conversions.
Hospitality Tech EXPO, a travel and hospitality tech exhibition combined with a food industry event, will be hosted on December 2 to 4 2026

Hospitality Tech EXPO, a travel and hospitality tech exhibition combined with a food industry event, will be hosted on December 2 to 4 2026

Hospitality Tech EXPO,’ an exhibition of AI, DX and robot for the hospitality industry, will be held in Ariake, Tokyo on December 2 to 4 2026, integrating ‘Tourism DX Marketing EXPO’ for the tourism and hospitality industry and ‘Innovation Week for the food industry,’
JTB CEO talks about the aim in acquiring the world's largest tourism B2B media company ‘Northstar Travel Group’

JTB CEO talks about the aim in acquiring the world's largest tourism B2B media company ‘Northstar Travel Group’

JTB announced that the tourism giant in Japan acquires Northstar Travel Group (NTG) as a 100% subsidiary. .Eijiro Yamakita, JTB CEO, explained how JTB draws up its future picture with the acquisition of NTG.
Trip.com Japan GM talks about its ‘generous’ support system from the app to customer supports in Japanese by 100 staff

Trip.com Japan GM talks about its ‘generous’ support system from the app to customer supports in Japanese by 100 staff

Tomoyuki Takada, Trip.com International Travel Japan General Manager, talked about the latest travel trends and local tourism as well as its supports and services. He also said AI development equals personalization.
Japan’s Hoshino Resorts and Agoda form a strategic partnership to list all of the Hoshino brands on  Agoda

Japan’s Hoshino Resorts and Agoda form a strategic partnership to list all of the Hoshino brands on Agoda

Agoda formed a strategic partnership with Hoshino Resorts to enable a user to book all of the Hoshino Resorts to send foreign travelers to local areas in Japan.
China’s UnionPay issues an exclusive card for travelers to Japan, discounting 10% in department stores in Kansai area

China’s UnionPay issues an exclusive card for travelers to Japan, discounting 10% in department stores in Kansai area

UnionPay, the Chinese digital wallet, has started issuing an exclusive card for travelers to Kansai area in Japan to stimulate Chinese travers’ shopping minds.
DMM.com, a Japan’s entertainment EC provider, launch ‘DMM Travel Booking’ in partnership with Trip.com for DMM members

DMM.com, a Japan’s entertainment EC provider, launch ‘DMM Travel Booking’ in partnership with Trip.com for DMM members

DMM.com, a Japan’s entertainment EC provider, launched ‘DMM Travel Booking’ in partnership with Trip.com for the system linkage, which enables a user to search and book trip.com inventories.
Luggage storage provider Bounce starts a luggage delivery service between Yamato Transport’s 3000 bases in Japan

Luggage storage provider Bounce starts a luggage delivery service between Yamato Transport’s 3000 bases in Japan

Luggage storage provider Bounce has launched a luggage delivery service between Yamato Transport’s 3000 bases nationwide in Japan, allowing allows a traveler to deliver luggage between the Yamato’s offices or check-in counters.
Japan’s local OTA Rakuten Travel has begun offering more than 400,000 hotels in the world as a global OTA

Japan’s local OTA Rakuten Travel has begun offering more than 400,000 hotels in the world as a global OTA

Rakuten Travel, one of the largest OTAs in Japan, has launched an overseas hotel booking service to offer more than 400,000 hotels to world’s travelers. This is an important milestone for Rakuten Travel to grow to a global OTA.
Cross-border EC payment service ‘Alipay+’ increased payment volume in Japan by 30%, more used for medical services and entertainments

Cross-border EC payment service ‘Alipay+’ increased payment volume in Japan by 30%, more used for medical services and entertainments

Cross-boarder EC payment service ‘Alipay+’ increased payment volume in Japan for the first nine months of 2025 by 30% year on year, growing payments in medical services, cosmetics, vending machines and entertainments.
Traveloka introduces a payment service for hotels in strategic partnership with NETSTARS, a Japanese cashless payment platform

Traveloka introduces a payment service for hotels in strategic partnership with NETSTARS, a Japanese cashless payment platform

Traveloka signed a strategic partnership with NETSTARS, a Japanese cashless payment platform, to introduce ‘StarPay-Biz for Hotel,’ a payment platform service exclusively for hotels provided by NETSTARS.
The highest growth rate in foreign visitors to Japan was seen in Sakaiminato City, Tottori, in the summer of 2025, according to NAVITIME analysis

The highest growth rate in foreign visitors to Japan was seen in Sakaiminato City, Tottori, in the summer of 2025, according to NAVITIME analysis

The highest growth rate in international visitors to Japan was seen in Sakaiminato City, Tottori Prefecture, in the summer of 2025, showing 2.83 times more visitors than compared to a year earlier.