Travel Sectors

Sales of 43 major travel companies increased by 38.6% to 225.5 billion JPY in total in February 2023 compared to the same month of 2019. Overseas travel sales amounted 57.3 billion JPY, though the reduction rate improved from 70.4% in January 2023 to 63.1%.

Okinawa Prefecture drew up ‘Okinawa Tourism Promotion Roadmap’ to become ‘a sustainable destination to be selected in the world' with KPIs of local communities’ happiness of 90%, tourism revenue of 1.2 trillion JPY.

JAL Group LCC ZIPAIR Tokyo has begun operating zero CO2 flights on the Narita-Honolulu route on April 1 2023, the world-first zero CO2 operation through a year on a particular route.

Airbnb Japan signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with Kansai Tourism Bureau for home-sharing-based tourism promotions targeting international visitors for Osaka Kansai EXPO 2025.

The Japanese government approved a IR development plan submitted by Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City to develop an integrated resort with an international convention center, hotels and casino in the artificial island ‘Yumeshima’ of Osaka Bay in autumn or winter 2029.

Japan Adventure Tourism Organization (JATO) launched Adventure Tourism Academy with JAL and JTB to develop adventure tourism in Japan, working together to develop human resources and promotional activities.

With a three-jabs vaccination certificate, Chinese travelers entering Japan are no longer required PCR-negative certificate 72 hours before departure, and it will be lifted completely when the legal infection status of COVID-19 is lowered to Level 5 in May.

Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture, a remote island registered as UNESCO World Heritage, drew up a new tourism management plan to restrict visitors up to 1,200 a day or up to 330,000 a year.

Japan Tourism Agency instructs how local tourism players should promote digital transformation in four pillars, showing the future vision, the current challenges, how to solve issues and also KPIs in FY2027.

Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) launched a year-round promotion project to boost outbound travel demand, including social media posting campaigns and also a financial support for acquisition of new passports.

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.’

ANA will restart Haneda-Beijing services with five flights a week on April 1 2023 and two flights a day between Haneda and Shanghai(Pudong and Hongqiao).

ANA will begin offering pre-ordered ‘Quick & Light Meal’ and ‘No Thank you Option’ on its international flights to reduce food losses.

JTB signed a contract with Smart Health Net to develop medical tourism for luxury inbound travelers to provide high-grade comprehensive medical services for inbound travelers.

Japan Tourism Agency drew up a policy package to recover the outbound travel market, expecting to achieve 20 million travelers, the 2019 level, as soon as possible.

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

JAL will largely resume flights for China in this coming summer schedule beginning on March 26 2023, including new daily flights (JL89/JL80) on the Haneda-Shanghai (Pudong).

‘Japan Customer Satisfaction Index 2022’ is announced. The most-satisfied company is ‘Shiki Theatre Company,' and four hotels are ranked among top 10.

ANA unveiled seats, in-flight services, cabin attendant uniforms and boarding music of its new international brand ‘Air Japan,’ which is scheduled to take off to Southeast Asia from Narita International Airport in February 2024.

British Airways will increase frequencies on the London-Haneda route from seven flights a week today to 11 flights a week on March 26 2023.