Japan Domestic Travel

Royal Road Ginza, a JTB luxury travel retailer, ties up with Rikkyo University Wellness Research Institute to work together for creation of new wellness travel products. The first product focuses on ‘well-sleep’ and ‘onsen’ in Kamakura and Tsukiji.

the occupancy rate of 111 hotels in Kyoto City in June 2023 was down 4.3 points over May 2023 or up 22.2 points over June 2022 to 76.5%. The ratio of international guests was 51.2% of the total.

TOYOTA Motor has started a campaign to experience ‘Ele-Work,’ a new telework style, together with ADDress, a subscription-based multi-place living solution provider.

JAL, Nokyo Tourist and Loyalty Marketing will jointly plan and sell pilot tours of an experience-typed Workcation program, including farm working or planting tree, for corporations in Bihoro Town, Hokkaido.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) launched ‘Farm Stay Promotion Plan’ with a goal of 7 million guest nights by 2025.

Jalan Research Center survey finds that the most-satisfied prefecture for tourism was Oita, higher than 10th last year. Ishikawa is the most-satisfied prefecture for local foods, and Okinawa in local hospitality.

the total number of guest nights in May 2023 (provisionally) was up 36.2% year on year to 50.1 million. International guest nights recovered to a 7.8% reduction to 9 million compared to May 2019.

‘Tourism EXPO Japan 2023 Osaka Kansai’ will be held in Intex Osaka for four days from October 26 to 29. A main event theme is ‘Travel festival to meet the future,’ showcasing the future vision of the diversified tourism industry.

Airbnb Japan has listed a traditional architecture house called ‘Gassho Zukuri’ in the World Heritage village Gokayama in Toyama Prefecture as one of the efforts to increase a filter of ‘historical homes.’

The total number of guest nights in April 2023 (provisionally) was up 41.6% year on year to 47.8 million. International guest nights recovered to a 8% reduction to 10.4 million compared to April 2019.

Ishi Sports, one of Yodobashi Camera group, a leading Japanese home electrical appliance retailer, launched a new travel company specializing in outdoor activities.

JR West, a Japanese railway company in western Japan, has begun offering a share space booking and payment platform service ‘+ PLACE.' About 400 bookable places are available for the service in the beginning.

JTB has forecasted 24.7 million travelers in total during this year’s Golden Week holiday period from April 25 to May 5, 24.5 million domestic travelers (2% more than 2019) and 200,000 outbound travelers from Japan (78.5% fewer than 2019).

The Japanese government approved a new three-years basic tourism promotion plan to seek quality of travelers rather than the numerical goal, promoting 'Sustainable tourism,’ ‘Expansion of local spending’ and ‘Encouragement to send inbound travelers to local regions.’

Nissan, one of the leading automobile companies in Japan, tied up with ‘Clan PEONY Tsugaru,’ a local DMO in Aomori Prefecture, to test use of ‘NIssan Caravan’ as an easy camping car for city tours.

Cunard will resume Japan-based cruises of Queen Elizabeth in April 2023, stopping by Ishigaki, Hakata, Miyako, Aburatsu and Otaru for the first time.

Japan Travel and Tourism Association opened a new tourism information website ‘JAPAN 47 GO’ containing about 110,000 local tourism attractions and experiences in 1,741 local regions nationwide.

The total amount of Japanese travel consumption was just down 0.6% year on year to 5.1 trillion JPY in the 4th quarter of 2022(October to December 2022), compared to the same period of 2019.

Japan Tourism Agency proposed drafts of new Basic Act for Promoting a Tourism-Oriented Country by 2025, focusing on quality improvement rather than an increase in quantity, having three strategy pillars.

the total number of Japanese guest nights in December 2022 (provisionally) was up 5.8% year on year to 41 million, and international guest nights were up 1695.8% year on year to 5.9 million.