March 2025
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Which Ski Areas Are Popular Among Inbound Skiers? : 2025 Ski Destination Rankings
(Source: Agoda International Japan K.K.) Agoda Company Pte. Ltd., the operator of the digital travel platform “Agoda,” has announced the “2025 Ranking of Japan’s Top Ski Destinations,” reflecting the latest ski travel trends. This ranking is based on accommodation search data from Agoda and analyzes the most popular ski destinations among both Japanese travelers and inbound tourists. (Image Source: Pakutaso) In the ranking of ski destinations for domestic travelers, Iwate Prefecture, including Hachimantai, took the top spot. Hachimantai is considered popular due to the combination of skiing and hot springs. Nagano Prefecture, including Hakuba, and Niigata Prefecture, including Yuzawa, also continue to attract strong interest, with many skiers and snowboarders favoring these areas due to the convenience of reaching them in about an hour and a half from the city center via the Joetsu Shinkansen. In the ranking of ski destinations for international travelers, Hakuba in Nagano Prefecture saw the highest increase in searches, with a 63% year-over-year growth. The success of international promotions and the enhancement of multilingual support have solidified its position as one of Japan’s top ski resorts. Hakuba offers a variety of courses suitable for all levels, from beginners to advanced skiers, attracting many ski enthusiasts....
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Booking.com Report : Digitalization and Pricing Strategy Key to Growth in Japan’s Hotel Industry
(Image source: Pakutaso) Booking.com, one of the world’s largest digital travel platforms, has released its latest report on Japan’s hospitality industry in collaboration with Statista, a provider of statistical data platforms, continuing their partnership from last year. This study is based on telephone interviews conducted by Statista with 250 executives and managers in Japan’s travel and hospitality sector, analyzing the recovery of travel demand, performance comparisons between short-term rentals (STR) and hotels, and challenges faced by accommodation providers. In 2024, Japan’s hospitality industry has fully overcome the lingering impact of COVID-19 from 2023, presenting an optimistic outlook. The tourism sector has made a strong recovery from the pandemic, with a notable surge in visitors from the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region driving industry growth. Additionally, the historically weak yen has made Japan a more attractive destination for foreign travelers. As a result, key performance indicators such as average daily rate (ADR) and occupancy rate have improved significantly compared to 2023. More than half of accommodation providers reported a substantial increase in ADR, and approximately two-thirds observed higher occupancy rates. At the same time, accommodation providers are facing financial challenges, with concerns over profitability and business continuity risks. The most pressing issue for...
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Marriott Secures Record-High 109 Deals in APEC: Rapid Growth in India, Japan, and Indonesia
(Source: Marriott International) Marriott International experienced strong growth in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Greater China) in 2024, securing a record-high 109 deals across 11 markets. This added 21,439 rooms to the regional development pipeline, bringing the total number of rooms to 77,532 by year-end. By expanding its business portfolio across the market, entering the midscale hotel segment, and strengthening its luxury offerings, the company has further solidified its position as a leader in the hospitality industry.
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JNTO Announcement: 3.781 Million Foreign Visitors to Japan in January 2025, with Recovery Led by China and South Korea
(Source: JNTO) The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced that the number of foreign visitors to Japan in January 2025 reached 3,781,200, marking a significant increase of 40.6% from the previous month and 79.5% year-on-year. Compared to January 2019, the figure was up by 7.5%, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The recovery of the Chinese market was particularly notable, while South Korea and Taiwan also showed stable growth.