Posts
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Airbnb’s 2025 Travel Destination Rankings: Cities Gaining Popularity in Japan and Around the World
(Source: Airbnb Japan Inc.) Airbnb has announced the ranking of travel destinations that global guests are focusing on for 2025, as well as the destinations chosen by residents in Japan. In 2024, large-scale cultural events such as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and the Olympics drove travel demand. Similarly, in 2025, "experience-based travel" is expected to continue capturing the interest of travelers. According to Airbnb’s data, searches for popular destinations increase in alignment with major event schedules.
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Chinese New Year 2025: Ranking of Japan’s Most Popular Tourist Destinations Among Inbound Travelers Announced
(Based on materials provided by KKday JAPAN Co., Ltd.) KKday JAPAN Co., Ltd. has announced the ranking of Japan's most popular prefectures among inbound tourists during the 2025 Chinese New Year holiday. Based on KKday's reservation data, Tokyo ranked first, followed by Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido, and Okinawa. This year’s Chinese New Year has drawn attention to snow-related experiences, influenced by increased exposure on social media and higher-than-average snowfall.
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JNTO Announcement: December 2024 Inbound Visitor Data and Regional Trends
(Created based on JNTO data) According to JNTO, the number of international visitors to Japan in December 2024 was 3,489,800, representing an approximately 10% increase from 3,187,000 in November 2024. Compared to the same month in 2019, when the figure was 2,526,387, this marks a rise of over 40%, indicating a robust recovery that significantly exceeds pre-pandemic levels. (Created based on JNTO data) The number of international visitors in December 2024 increased by approximately 740,000 compared to December 2023, showing a year-on-year growth of 30.6%. Additionally, compared to December 2019, this represents a rise of about 746,000. The main factors behind this growth include increased demand for travel to Japan from South Korea and Hong Kong, as well as stable inflows of tourists from Taiwan and the United States. The number of visitors from South Korea was 867,400, showing a 15.7% month-on-month increase and a 10.8% year-on-year increase. Compared to December 2019, this represents an approximate 250% rise, reflecting a strong recovery in the South Korean market. Meanwhile, the number of visitors from China was 604,200, showing a 10.6% month-on-month increase but a 15% decrease compared to December 2019. While the Chinese market has not yet fully recovered, the continued...
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Thailand Ranks First! Top Overseas Destinations Popular Among Japanese Travelers for the New Year Holiday
Booking.com, one of the world's largest digital travel platforms with the mission to make experiencing the world more accessible for everyone, conducted a survey on Japanese travelers' trends for the 2024–2025 New Year holiday season. Based on data from accommodations searched for check-in on December 31, 2024, on its platform, Booking.com revealed a ranking of the most popular overseas destinations among Japanese travelers.
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JNTO Announcement: Record-Breaking 3,187,000 Inbound Visitors to Japan in November 2024
(Source: JNTO) According to JNTO, the number of inbound visitors to Japan in November 2024 reached 3,187,000, marking a 30.6% increase compared to the same month in the previous year and a 30.5% increase compared to November 2019. This figure significantly surpasses the pre-COVID-19 level of 2,441,274 visitors recorded in November 2019, setting a new record for the highest number of visitors in November. Furthermore, the cumulative total of inbound visitors by the end of November 2024 reached 33,379,200, exceeding the previous annual record set in 2019 and achieving the highest cumulative number of inbound visitors to date.
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The Appeal of “THE LAKE Kawaguchi Life”: Offering Community Connections and Unique Experiences
(Source : Japanese Culture Promotion Institute, Inc) Located in Fujikawaguchiko Town, "THE LAKE Kawaguchi Life" is an accommodation facility highly rated by both domestic and international guests for offering an authentic experience of Japanese and regional lifestyles. Situated in a popular destination for inbound tourism, the facility allows guests to enjoy a homely Japanese atmosphere while spending a special time at the foot of Mt. Fuji, making it particularly popular among international tourists.
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JR Kyushu Hotels & Resorts Enhances Multilingual Support and Convenience with “VERY”
(Source : JR Kyushu Hotels & Resorts Inc.) JR Kyushu Hotels & Resorts Inc. introduced the travel app "VERY," developed by Active Values Inc., across 12 of its hotels and inns starting October 2024. Designed to enhance user convenience during their stay and bolster multilingual support, "VERY" requires no app download. Guests can simply scan a QR code installed within the facility using their smartphone. The app automatically adapts to the user’s device language, ensuring seamless usability for international visitors. With "VERY," guests can access hotel facility guides, usage instructions, sightseeing information, and announcements, not only in their rooms but also while outside.
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Nature Positive Declaration: Resorttrust’s New Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation and Community Coexistence
(Source: Resorttrust Inc.) Resorttrust Inc. has announced the "Resorttrust Group Nature Positive Declaration," outlining the group's commitment to protecting and restoring biodiversity and natural capital. This declaration serves as a guiding framework for their efforts to address the pressing global challenge of biodiversity loss, which is considered one of humanity's most critical crises alongside climate change. The concept of "nature positive" refers to actions aimed at reversing biodiversity loss and putting natural environments on a path to recovery. This direction was formalized at the United Nations-led COP15 conference in December 2022, where the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted. Japan has also taken steps in this direction, with the Cabinet approval of the Biodiversity Strategy 2023-2030 in March 2023. Given that the group’s business activities both benefit from and potentially impact biodiversity and natural capital, it has identified the conservation of biodiversity, reduction of CO2 emissions, and minimization of plastic waste and food loss as material issues. Recognizing nature as a core and strategic risk management priority alongside climate change, the group has aligned its disclosures with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) recommendations as of June 2024. In support of the Japanese government’s vision for a "nature-harmonious society"...
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JNTO Announcement : Record 3,312,000 Inbound Visitors to Japan in October 2024
(Source: JNTO) According to JNTO's announcement, the number of inbound visitors to Japan in October 2024 reached 3,312,000, representing a 31.6% increase compared to the same month last year and a 32.6% increase compared to October 2019. This figure significantly surpasses the 2,496,568 inbound visitors recorded in October 2019, marking the ninth consecutive month of record-breaking numbers for the respective months. Moreover, the total number of inbound visitors for the year through October has reached 30,192,200, the fastest pace to surpass 30 million since statistics began in 1964. The October 2024 figure represents an increase of approximately 790,000 visitors compared to October 2023, showing a 31.6% year-on-year growth. It also reflects a 33% increase from October 2019 and an increase of approximately 440,000 visitors compared to September 2024. This growth can be attributed to the rise in autumn tourism demand and active promotional activities domestically and internationally. With the arrival of the autumn foliage season, inbound demand has increased across various markets. Key contributors include growth in visitors from China in East Asia, Singapore in Southeast Asia, and the United States in Europe, the Americas, Australia, and the Middle East. To sustain this momentum, flexible policies aligned with seasonal...
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Work While Enjoying Autumn Foliage Spots! Otetsutabi’s 2024 Autumn Foliage Special Begins
(Source: Otetsutabi Co., Ltd.) Otetsutabi Co., Ltd. has launched its “Autumn Foliage Special 2024,” a program that offers participants the opportunity to enjoy short-term work while experiencing Japan’s famous autumn foliage. This special initiative is designed to recruit workers for jobs near some of Japan’s best autumn foliage spots, allowing participants to work while taking in beautiful scenery and enjoy a solo journey at a reduced cost.