News

The Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) Tourism Committee compiled requests for tourism recovery in Japan, including effective operation of ‘Go To Travel’ and extension of the program.

Tourism Australia (TA) has started developing a large scale of advertising campaign in Japan to appeal tourism attractions to be selected as the next leisure destination in accordance with ease of travel restrictions into Japan.

This is the story that I, as Travel Voice reporter, experienced the first overseas coverage for Hawaii in the past two years and a half. I found that there were still a lot of challenges for outbound travel from Japan or inbound travel to Japan. Unreasonable procedures waited for me when I arrived in Japan.

Yokohama City started ‘Find Your YOKOHAMA Campaign’ as a tourism recovery support program to discount travel attractions for travelers from neighboring prefectures except Tokyo.

the total number of Japanese guest nights in February 2022 was up 34.4% year on year to 23.4 million, and the occupancy rate was 34.5% overall, 27.4 lower points than 2019.

Sales of 1110 travel companies in Japan reduced by 71.2% to 724.2 billion JPY in total in 2021 from 2,519.7 billion JPY in 2020. Compared to 2019, the total shrank to one-third of 2,771 billion JPY.

JTB has forecasted that Japanese domestic travelers are expected to increase by 68.4% year on year to 16 million during this coming Golden Week period (April 25 to May 5). Total spending is estimated at 552 billion JPY. Younger generation especially intends to travel.

Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) sent an inspection delegation to Hawaii on April 3, positioning it as the first step for reopening of outbound travel from Japan. Hiroyuki Takahashi, JATA Chairman, said "JATA member companies will begin producing and selling products for Hawaii this summer.”

HIS has decided to sell out its 100% subsidiary HTB Energy with excess of debt, posting a deficit of about 10 billion JPY for FY2021.

Kouraku Japan, a marketing company for Chinese high-end consumers, broadcasted a virtual tourism tour combined with live e-commerce for Kagoshima Prefecture on Alibaba Group’s ‘Fliggy,’

Telecom Square began offering ‘WiFiBox,’ a an automatic and contactless Wi-Fi router rental service in major airports, such as Narita and Haneda, and The rental price is very competitive at 300 JPY a day or more.

According to a survey by Jalan Research Center of Recruit, 24.4% of all respondents performed day trips in the past year from September 2020 to August 2021. The ratio of 20s males particularly was as high as 41%.

‘Regya Pass! (Leisure Pass in English),’ a subscription service for leisure facilities, will be available for amusement parks, theme-parks, aquariums, zoos, museums, onsen or even camping.

ANA NEO, a virtual travel platform development company of ANA Group, has raised 4.5 billion JPY in total to develop a Metaverse travel ‘SKY WHALE.'

JTB has forecasted that the number of domestic travelers in Japan will increase by 97% year on year to 260 million in 2022, but recent rise in prices may discourage people to travel.

JAL flight subscription service ‘A New Style of Travel' with accommodation subscription service ‘HafH' was used by 37 years old on average, and the majority was office worker with a share of 68%. 75% traveled to unexpected destinations.

JAL will raise domestic flight airfares by 3% to 8% and also upgrade fares on a flight day for a year from April 15 2022 due to rise in fuel cost mainly.

Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) will send its first delegation to Hawaii on April 3 2022 to restart overseas tours and develop the national momentum toward overseas travel.

Fair Trade Commission of Japan accepted an improvement plan, which is a corporate plan to exclude suspicious violation of Anti-Monopoly Act, from Booking.com B.V. on March 16.

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) opened Metaverse space ‘Kyoto PlLUS X’ in virtual space ‘Shibuya Miyashita Park Powered by PARALLEL SITE’ to deliver and experience tradition and tourism attractions virtually.