JTB and Airbnb Japan have launched a local revitalization project named ‘Mirai Nigiwai Kobo’ in Japanese to solve a variety of issues in local areas together with a variety of partners and create new sustainable values.
Both of the companies signed a new comprehensive partnership agreement in January 2025 to support local areas in eastern Japan to develop tourism experience programs using local resources and to build new tourism models. The new project will be extended nationwide Japan with a goal of 125 areas by 2028.
“This partnership marks an important milestone for Airbnb as we continue to invest in this market and grow our presence to support the needs of Japanese travelers,” Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb co-founder and chief strategy officer, said. “We see this potential to revitalize rural areas by bringing more travelers from the big cities into regional Japan. We are also helping our communities grow and grow.”
According to Airbnb, 85% of Japanese travelers between the ages of 18 to mid 40s want to visit lesser known regions outside of Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka or Kyoto. The ratio of GBV in local regions in Japan rose from 4% in 2019 to 6% in 2024. Also, one-third of bookings in local regions were dome by Japanese travelers.
Airbnb Nathan Blecharczyk
Masaki Otsuka, JTB senior managing executive officer, general manager of business solution headquarters, said, “Through the project, we can transform local areas with the same direction as Airbnb. We are trying to integrate social values and economic values.”
For the project, JTB is in charge of building and managing the whole project using its’ group network nationwide, and Airbnb will help partners re-use or re-build vacant houses and support marketing activities.
JTB Masaki Otsuka
Focusing on four themes
The project primarily focuses on four themes of ‘the regenerative energy areas,’ ‘the industrial-cluster areas,’ ‘the disaster-prevention areas’ and ‘the remote islands and their neighboring areas.’
Airbnb has been developing the same sort of projects in France and Spain, where the same challenges as Japan have been come to the surface. Blecharczyk, however, said, “What's unique about what we're doing in Japan is the level of partnership involved with many stakeholders.”
The project in Japan is already joined by DNP and Ryohin Keikaku, (MUJI) in addition to Cultural Convenience Club, Orient Corporation and Sompo Japan Insurance as Airbnb Partners. Blecharczyk added, “I would like to bring the level of collaboration back in Europe.”
