Japan Bound

Transactions on Visa cards by Korean travelers accounted for 62% in Asia Pacific, and the ratio of spendings on Visa cards in Japan increased from 39% of the total to 48%, according to Visa.

The most popular family destination among multi-generations travelers in 11 countries and regions in Asia is Tokyo, according to Booking.com survey. The highest-interested destination is Urayasu, a city of Tokyo Disneyland.

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has begun digital promotions for ‘EXPO + Tourism, encouraging JNTO website visitors to visit the ‘EXPO + Tourism’ tour booking website, and delivering NFTs featuring nature, foods or cultures in 10 regions.

NEC, Klook and Maruwa Transportation will begin offering ‘Travel Light’ service combining pre-checkin of a hotel with baggage delivery from an airport as one of the solution service against over-tourism.

Things encouraged to experience next time by information getting in traveling in Japan are ‘onsen,’ ‘tourism facilities’ and ‘sweets or snacks’ for Taiwanese travelers and ‘theme parks,’ ‘Japanese traditional or luxury restaurants’ and ‘popular casual restaurants among local people’ for American travelers.

The number of international visitors to Japan in September 2024 reached 2,872,200, 26.4% more than the same month in 2019. The final result in 2024 is expected to exceed 31.9 million visitors in 2019.

Vision, a Wi-Fi router rental company of Japan, launched a travel brand ‘Japan Destinations’ as a destination management company (DMC) to provide seamless arrangement of hotel, activity, transportation and tour guide.

Cunard, a cruise operator selected ‘Sukayu Onsen’ in Aomori, Japan as the most luxury shore excursion experience, valuing the unique landscape and Japanese traditional onsen experience and lunch.

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) hosted inspection tours for luxury travel consortium ‘Serandipians’ in Hokuriku and Setouchi. Quentin Desurmont, Serandipians Chairman, who joined the tour, talked about potentiality of Japan as a luxury destination.

Shibuya Ward and Shinjuku Ward, jointly called, “Keep rules” to visitors during this coming Halloween period, enforcing the ordinances banning drinking on the streets. Ken Hasebe, Mayer of Shibuya Ward, said that strong measures are needed to prevent over-toruism.

A digital tourism PR booth was set up at Kansai International Airport to encourage international tourists to visit local areas in western Japan before Osaka Kansai EXPO opens in April 2025.

Condé Nast Traveler ‘Readers’ Choice Award' chose Japan as the most attractive country’ for two straight years and Tokyo as ‘the most attractive city in the world.’

The total amount of toll for Mt. Fuji climbing at Fuji Yoshida Gate, the first trial this summer, reached about 300 million yen with 148,913 climbers in the period from July 1 to September 20 2024.

Shibuya City Tourism Association in Tokyo has begun providing a special logo and poster of ‘SHIBUYA♡HACHI’ for free to encourage visitors to keep manners.Shibuya suffers from troubles with visitors’ manners, such as drinking or smoking on the streets, littering and so on.

NAVITIME Japan, a leading navigation app provider, has started offering a generative AI-based travel planning function on a web service for inbound travelers to Japan.

Four-days Tourism EXPO Japan (TEJ) 2024 opened on September 26, 2024 at Tokyo Big Sight, organizing symposiums, seminars, exhibitions and business meetings for outbound travel, inbound travel and domestic travel.

Kyoto City will operate dedicated bus, called ‘Hands Free Bus,’ to travelers carrying large suitcases from Kyoto Station to major hotels in this autumn as one of the efforts to avoid over-tourism.

The ratio of new tour operators who are affirmative to receive inbound travelers reduced from 51% in the last survey to 44%, according to JATA survey. The top reason was ‘worker shortage’ (61%).

The number of international visitors to Japan in August 2024 reached 2,933,000, 16.4% more than the same month in 2019 and 35% more than a year ago, marking record breaking for 7 months in a row.

The most-wanted non-alcohol beverages in Japan among travelers from Taiwan and Hong Kong is 'milk' because the quality of Japanese milk is very high with rich and tasty.