Press Release

April 09, 2025
(Original Release Date: March 25,2025)
JTB Corp.
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
J-AIR Co., Ltd.
Japan Air Commuter Co., Ltd.

JTB Corp. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Eijiro Yamakita, hereinafter “JTB”), Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and Group CEO: Mitsuko Tottori, hereinafter “JAL”), J-AIR Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture; President: Shunsuke Honda, hereinafter “J-AIR”), and Japan Air Commuter Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture; President: Masayoshi Takei, hereinafter “JAC”) are launching a co-creation project to attract inbound foreign visitors, who are concentrated in urban areas, to various regions of Japan, thereby promoting regional revitalization.

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2024 is expected to reach 36.87 million (*1), exceeding the previous record of 2019 by approximately 5 million, setting a new annual record. However, many of these visitors are concentrated in a few cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, and overtourism in some areas is a serious issue, causing excessive congestion, poor manners, and impacts on local residents, as well as reduced satisfaction among travelers.
To address these issues, JTB and JAL will utilize domestic regional routes, which are underused by foreign visitors to Japan, to develop tours that allow visitors to experience the diverse cultures, rich tourist resources, and hidden attractions of various regions scattered throughout Japan. This effort aims to promote the decentralization of foreign visitors to Japan and contribute to regional revitalization, economic effects, and job creation.
As the first step of this initiative, JTB and JAL will began selling tours from Tuesday, March 25, targeting foreign visitors to Japan for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (the Expo). These tours include stays in the Osaka and Kansai area where the Expo is being held, as well as tours using domestic regional routes operated by JAL Group's J-AIR and JAC departing from and arriving at Osaka Itami Airport.
Further expansion of the product lineup is planned for future initiatives.
(*1) Source: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Statistics on Foreign Visitors to Japan (announced January 15, 2025)

[Roles of each company in the co-creation project]
〇Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
The reservation systems for domestic flights operated by JAL Group's J-AIR and JAC will be flexibly managed for this project, establishing a smoother reservation and ticketing system to attract foreign visitors to regional areas.
〇JTB Corp.
To encourage  foreign visitors to travel to regional areas of Japan, new travel products will be developed: circuit travel products using domestic flights and incorporates attractive tourism resources from all over Japan.

[Co-creation project period]
From Tuesday, March 25, 2025

[Travel product development concept]
Target audience: Foreign visitors to Japan staying in the Kansai region for the purpose of visiting the Expo
Features of travel products:
1. Use regional routes departing and arriving at Osaka Itami Airport.
2. Consider sustainability and aim to achieve regional decarbonization. (“CO2 Zero Travel® (*2)”)
3. Provide in-depth “experiences” that allow visitors to explore the nature, history, traditional culture, and local cuisine of the destinations.
4. An English-speaking guide will accompany the tour for the entire trip to offer deeper insights.
(*2) “CO2ゼロ旅行® (English note:CO2 Zero Travel)” is a registered trademark of JTB, a program using the J-Credit Scheme to reduce CO2 emissions during travel to virtually zero.
Planning and implementation:
JTB Corp. Hiroshima Branch Japan Inbound Team
2F Kamiyacho Building, 2-2-2 Kamiyacho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 731-0031
Email address: dics@jtb.com (09:30-17:30 *Closed on weekends, holidays, and 12/30-1/3)
JTB Corp., Purchasing Products Division, West Japan Purchasing and Sales Department
9F JTB Building, 2-1-25 Hisataro-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541-0056
Reservations and applications:
Official Tourism Portal Site of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
“Expo 2025 Official Experiential Travel Guides”

[Product lineup (first round)]
Starting Tuesday, March 25, three tours to the Kyushu, Chugoku, and Tohoku regions went on sale.

1. World Natural Heritage “Amami Oshima” and Kagoshima
Explore the World Natural Heritage Site “Amami Oshima,” often referred to as the Galapagos of the Orient, and Kagoshima, known as the Naples of the Orient, with its majestic active volcano Sakurajima.
Tour price (per person): From JPY290,000 (2 people per room or 3 people per room)

2．A Journey from “San‘in” through “San’yo” Road and Setouchi Shimanami Kaido.
Visit Izumo, the birthplace of mythology, Kurashiki with its old townscape, Miyajima, a World Heritage Site, and the beautiful Shimanami Kaido.
Tour price (per person): From JPY198,000 (2 people per room or 3 people per room)

３．A Journey to Expericence the Atmosphere of Old Japan
Explore the nostalgic Ginzan Onsen, the ancient temple Risshakuji, Matsushima (one of Japan's Three Most Scenic Spots), and the World Heritage Site Chusonji.
Tour price (per person): From JPY240,000 (2 people per room or 3 people per room)

〇Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., J-Air Co., Ltd., Japan Air Commuter Co., Ltd.
The JAL Group will continue to work together to promote the ESG strategy, which is its top-level strategy, and will strive to be the airline group most chosen and loved by customers in the world by creating sustainable social and economic value through the creation of “relationships and connections through travel.”
URL： https://www.jal.com/en/

〇JTB Corp.
JTB has 159 offices in 35 countries/regions and handles international travel not only from Japan but also from various countries and regions around the world. In recent years, JTB has focused on developing its sports hospitality business, providing attentive services to a variety of clients, especially corporate clients, by leveraging its strength in Japanese hospitality and strong collaborations in its network of overseas offices. Through this partnership with MLB, JTB will make an all-out effort across the group to make travel packages to Major League Baseball games an invaluable experience for customers.
https://www.jtbcorp.jp/en/