Travel stakeholders in Japan are stepping up efforts to encourage overseas travel amid the sluggish recovery of the market, which has rebounded to only 65 per cent of the pre-pandemic level.
Japanese outbound travellers totalled 13.01 million in 2024, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization, up from 9.62 million in 2023 but far short of the 20.08 million in 2019.
Japan rolls out campaign offering passport perks and travel incentives to reignite international tourism
The Japan Tourism Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) are now eyeing a full rebound in overseas trips to support ongoing growth in inbound tourism.
“A recovery in Japanese overseas travel is essential for maintaining and expanding international flights (to and from Japan). JATA, together with its member companies and related organisations, will work as one for the recovery of oversea travel,” said a JATA spokesperson.
Their new campaign offers easier access to new passports, deals from airlines and travel goods companies, information on travel planning and support on staying safe abroad.
As part of the initiative, all prefectures will allow online applications for passports, which feature increased measures against forgery. JATA members, airlines and tourism bureaus will offer a range of incentives to procure a passport including discounts on fares, gift certificates and point allocation.
Still, it is unclear whether such steps will be effective amid ongoing reluctance to take trips overseas, exacerbated by the weak yen and rising costs at home.
In January, Japan’s largest travel agent, JTB Corporation, estimated the number of outbound travellers to reach 14.1 million in 2025 based on a survey in which 78.9 per cent of respondents said they would not travel internationally this year due to economic reasons.
AloJapan.com