News

Recovery of Japanese outbound travelers was still slow with 1 million in November 2023

Recovery of Japanese outbound travelers was still slow with 1 million in November 2023

The number of Japanese overseas travelers was down 37.5% to 1,027,100 in November 2023 compared to the same month of 2019.
International arrivals in Japan already exceeded 20 million, adding 2.4 million in November 2023

International arrivals in Japan already exceeded 20 million, adding 2.4 million in November 2023

The number of international visitors in Japan in November 2023 reached 2,440,800, close to 2,441,274 in November 2019, totaling 22.3 million for the first 11 months of 2023.
Ride-sharing will be approved firstly for taxi operators in Japan in April 2024 and then extended to consumer-to-consumer service

Ride-sharing will be approved firstly for taxi operators in Japan in April 2024 and then extended to consumer-to-consumer service

The Japanese government has decided to approve ride-sharing service partially in April 2024. Firstly, taxi operators can be a ride-sharing operators in particular local areas suffering shortage of taxies.
ANA received the most bookings ever for Hawaii, and JAL 34% more bookings for Europe in this coming New Year holidays

ANA received the most bookings ever for Hawaii, and JAL 34% more bookings for Europe in this coming New Year holidays

In this coming New Year holiday period (December 28 2023 to January 3 2024), ANA has received 1.9 times more bookings for Hawaii than a year ago, and JAL has increased bookings for Europe by 34%.
The most-searched tourist spot on navigation app NAVITIME Japan in 2023 was Universal Studio Japan for two years in a row

The most-searched tourist spot on navigation app NAVITIME Japan in 2023 was Universal Studio Japan for two years in a row

According to NAVITIME Japan, a Japan’s leading navigation app, the most-searched tourist spot in 2023 was ‘Universal Studio Japan.' For foreigners, the top was ‘Fushimi Inari Taisha' in Kyoto.
Total sales of 43 Japanese major travel companies in October 2023 decreased by 23% over 2019

Total sales of 43 Japanese major travel companies in October 2023 decreased by 23% over 2019

Sales of 43 major travel companies in October 2023 were down 22.9% to 347 billion JPY compared to the same month of 2019. As sales of both domestic and overseas package tours were largely down, a trend to shift from group travel to FIT seemed to be strong.
ANA launches a new virtual trip app, eyeing creation of a community and services for daily life as an entrance to an ANA economic zone

ANA launches a new virtual trip app, eyeing creation of a community and services for daily life as an entrance to an ANA economic zone

ANA NEO, an ANA Group company for digital solution, has launched a virtual trip platform app ‘ANA GranWhale,’ where a user as an avatar can enjoy virtual travel space ‘V-TRIP’ and a virtual shopping space ‘Sky Mall.’
40% of Japanese people are willing to travel overseas within a year, but they are concerned about exchange rate and security

40% of Japanese people are willing to travel overseas within a year, but they are concerned about exchange rate and security

The ratio of respondents who plan to travel overseas within a year was 40%, higher than 28% in the previous survey a year ago, according to the Sony Bank survey. The top concern was ‘exchange rate’ at 72%.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China reveals visa wavier has given a big impact to the inbound travel market, increasing foreign visitors by 39% in December

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China reveals visa wavier has given a big impact to the inbound travel market, increasing foreign visitors by 39% in December

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China said that visa wavier for 6 countries has been working well, for the first three days, about 7,000 out of all travelers of about 18,000 from those countries entered China without visas.
A Japanese e-ticket management system provider partners Sapporo City to promote business jet tours at Okadama Airport

A Japanese e-ticket management system provider partners Sapporo City to promote business jet tours at Okadama Airport

Japanticket, an e-ticket management system provider, and Sapporo City signed a partnership agreement on promotion of business jet operation at Okadama Airport. Japanticket has performed several trial gastronomy tours using made-in-Japan HondaJet.
Hankyu a major Japanese travel agent, and NAVITIME JAPAN work together to develop tours for inbound luxury travelers

Hankyu a major Japanese travel agent, and NAVITIME JAPAN work together to develop tours for inbound luxury travelers

Hankyu Travel International, a major travel company of Japan, and NAVITIME JAPAN, a navigation app provider, will jointly develop tours for luxury inbound travelers.
A major Japanese data company opens a capsule hotel specializing in sleep analysis as ‘sleep tech’

A major Japanese data company opens a capsule hotel specializing in sleep analysis as ‘sleep tech’

NTT Data, a major Japanese data company, will open a capsule hotel specializing in sleep analysis, acquiring, accumulating and analyzing sleep data using infrared cameras, sound-collecting microphones, and body movement sensors.
Amazon launches ‘Alexa’ for hotels as part of its first BtoB services, making bulk installation in a property possible

Amazon launches ‘Alexa’ for hotels as part of its first BtoB services, making bulk installation in a property possible

Amazon Japan (Amazon) has begun offering ‘Alexa Smart Properties (ASP)’ as a service for businesses using the personal AI assistant Alexa. Tokyu Hotels & Resorts will introduce Echo Show 8 to 56 premium class rooms at the lifestyle hotel "SAPPORO STREAM HOTEL" that will open in Sapporo on January 16 2024.
JTB forecasts total number of Japanese travelers during this coming New Year holidays will almost recover with record-high average domestic travel expenses

JTB forecasts total number of Japanese travelers during this coming New Year holidays will almost recover with record-high average domestic travel expenses

JTB forecasted the total number of Japanese travelers would be up 5% year on year or down 5% over 2019 to 28.6 million during this coming New Year holiday period. Domestic travelers are estimated at 28 million, and Japanese outbound travelers at 580,000.
Japan National Tourism Organization launches a special website for Osaka Kansai EXPO, encouraging inbound travelers to visit local areas

Japan National Tourism Organization launches a special website for Osaka Kansai EXPO, encouraging inbound travelers to visit local areas

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) launched a special website for the Osaka Kansai Expo, expecting the Expo is an opportunity to encourage inbound tourists to visit regional areas.
Airbnb Japan introduces its first new functions exclusively forJapan, reflecting the current trends of increases in group guests and stays in local areas

Airbnb Japan introduces its first new functions exclusively forJapan, reflecting the current trends of increases in group guests and stays in local areas

Airbnb Japan has introduced new specific functions for Japan in line with the recent trends in the Japanese market, saying that guests choose locations other than famous tourist spots and prefer to group travel.
‘U.S.-Japan Tourism Year 2024’ is launched to strengthen tourism and business exchanges between the two countries

‘U.S.-Japan Tourism Year 2024’ is launched to strengthen tourism and business exchanges between the two countries

Japan and U.S. signed a memorandum of cooperation designating 2024 as the ‘U.S.-Japan Tourism Year’ to strengthen tourism and business exchanges between U.S. and Japan, hoping to return Japan to the number two spot in terms of number of visitors to U.S.
How should the Japan’s outbound market be boosted? 23 million Japanese people intend to travel abroad

How should the Japan’s outbound market be boosted? 23 million Japanese people intend to travel abroad

‘Symposium on Japanese outbound travel promotion’ at Tourism EXPO 2023 in Osaka focused on how the outbound travel market should be boosted, introducing market analyses by Spain, Malaysia and Thailand.
30% of Japanese people say that they want to travel abroad in the New Year holidays if they do not consider cost

30% of Japanese people say that they want to travel abroad in the New Year holidays if they do not consider cost

According to an Expedia survey, about 30% of Japanese respondents answered that if they were able to travel without considering the cost, they would "like to travel abroad” in the period.
A tour to stay in a mountain cabin at the 5th station of Mt. Fuji in the winter is available at 79,200 JPY a person

A tour to stay in a mountain cabin at the 5th station of Mt. Fuji in the winter is available at 79,200 JPY a person

Sato-koya, a mountain cabin located in the 5th station of Mt.Fuji, will begin providing a tour to stay in the winter. The price is 79,200 JPY a night a person, including a variety of activities and a guide tour.