Travel Sectors
The top Japanese amusement park operator in sales is Oriental Land operating Tokyo Disneyland Resort
Sales of 122 amusement park operators in Japan were up 3.4% year on year to 1.1 trillion yen in total in FY2025. Oriental Land (Tokyo Disney Resort) topped the list at 588.171 billion yen.
Haneda Airport Terminal 1 is expanded with additional six boarding gates, reducing bus transfers
The Terminal 1 North Satellite for domestic flights of Haneda Airport opened with six additional boarding gates on September 1 2026, reducing bus transfers required for boarding and disembarking aircraft
HIS offers ‘AI Avatar’ for Japanese travelers to South Korea, integrating knowledge of 275 HIS experts
HIS offers AI Concierge ‘HIS AI Avatar’ for Japanese travelers to South Korea, integrating knowledge of 275 HIS experts for South Korea.
United Airlines will launch San Francisco-Naha, Okinawa services on March 27 2027
United Airlines will begin serving three flights a week between San Francisco and Naha, Okinawa on March 27 2027 as a part of the airline’s international network expansion plan in 2027.
JTB forms a partnership with ‘Bounce’ to deliver travelers’ baggage on Shinkansen on the same day
JTB and baggage storage service provider Bounce forms a partnership to provide "same-day long-distance delivery" services, such as between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, using the Tokaido Shinkansen.
VERTRA, a Japanese activity booking platform, signs MOU with Big Bus Tours for Hop-on Hop-off in Japan
VERTRA, a Japanese activity booking platform, signs MOU with London-based Big Bus Tours to look for feasibility of Hop-on Hop-off in Japan.
ANA will reduce international fuel surcharges after September 1 2026
ANA will reduce fuel surcharges on international flights ticketed from September 1 2026 to October 31 2026.
The demonstration experiment in Japan shows how ‘Sleep Tourism’ works to improve quality of sleep
‘Sleep Tourism,’ a new travel style to improve quality of sleep, was demonstrated at MAE’s ‘Healthianwood,’ a beauty and health complex in Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture.
Being a Japanese company becomes a brand in itself for hotels operated by Japanese operators in foreign countries
At ‘HOTERES EXPO Tokyo 2026,’ Kazuyoshi Shimojima, Polaris Holdings COO, and Rei Matsuda, Koko Global Hospitality (Thailand) CEO talked about how stay-oriented hotels can win in the future.
Peach Aviation, a Japanese LCC, reimburses accommodation and transportation expenses in significant delays or flight cancellations
Peach Aviation, ANA Group’s LCC, will launch a new reimbursement rule when significant delays or flight cancellations happen.
Jetstar will charge baggage in the overhead bin and not charge a small bag underneath a seat in February 2027
Jetstar will charge baggage in the overhead bin in February 2027. A passenger is required to purchase the "Priority Carry-on" service in advance.
JAL and four railway companies jointly create a wide-range tourism model for foreign visitors to Japan, focusing on pilgrim and spiritual cultures
JAL and JR East, JR West, JR Tokai and JR Shikoku will create a new wide-range tourism model connecting pilgrim and spiritual cultures of Japan for foreign visitors.
Fairmont Hotel will open a luxury resort with authentic onsen in Niseko, Hokkaido in 2028
‘Fairmont Niseko’ will open in Hokkaido in early 2028. This will the second Fairmont brand hotel in Japan, following Tokyo.
Discretion for short-term rental by local government is extended in Japan with new ‘zero-day rule’ and ‘mandatory of digital management’
New directions for short-term rental (STR) was notified to local governments, allowing them to regulate ‘zero-day rule (location restriction)' and ' ICT management.'
JAL and Marriott form a strategic partnership for the loyalty programs to provide members with benefits reciprocally
JAL and Marriott International sighed a strategic partnership for their loyalty programs of Marriott Bonvoy and JAL Mileage Bank (JMB).
APA HOTEL, a Japanese hotel operator, accelerates its business in North America with acquisition of a luxury hotel in LA
APA HOTEL acquired Kimpton La Peer in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, through APA Hotel USA, having a goal to increase available rooms in foreign countries to 10,000 by March 2031.
Spending on local activities in Japan by international travelers accounts for just 5% of the total
‘Tabinka Summit 2026,' an event to discuss how activity operators can earn more money, showed that spending on local activities in Japan by international travelers accounts for just 5% of the total.
High-end private compartment class on Tokaido Shinkansen was unveiled before offered on October 1 2026
JR Tokai unveiled ‘Supreme Class,’ an upper class beyond the current ‘Green Class,’ which will be available on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen between Tokyo and Hakata.
Narita Airport will be enhanced to 500,000 aircraft movements and a capacity of 75 million passengers a year
Narita is enhancing the airport functions to increase aircraft movements to 500,000 times a year, which are expected to increase capacities to 75 million passengers.
Japan Association of Travel Agents is rebuilding two-way tourism under new leadership, aiming at 20 million or more Japanese outbound travelers
Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) launched its new executive team in June 2026. They are rebuilding two-way tourism with a goal of 20 million or more Japanese outbound travelers.
