WTTC, JATA and Tourism Expo Japan Join Forces to Drive Japan’s Global Tourism Growth

In Brief: The World Travel & & Tourism Council (WTTC), Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), and Tourism Expo Japan have actually revealed a collaboration focused on speeding up Japan’s global tourist development through joint efforts and tactical promo.

The World Travel & & Tourism Council (WTTC), the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and the Tourism EXPO Japan (TEJ) Executive Committee have actually signed up with forces to enhance Japan’s position at the heart of the worldwide Travel & & Tourism neighborhood, signing a brand-new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concentrated on partnership, development, understanding exchange and worldwide engagement.

WTTC President & & CEO Gloria Guevara has actually signed the arrangement along with JATA Chairman Yuji Hara and Tourism EXPO Japan Executive Committee Chairperson Eijiro Yamakita, uniting 3 leading organisations with a shared aspiration to enhance connections in between Japan’s Travel & & Tourism sector and the international market. The arrangement will produce brand-new chances for understanding exchange, global discussion, market engagement and partnership throughout the sector.

The collaboration comes as Japan’s Travel & & Tourism sector continues to provide substantial financial development. According to WTTC’s newest Economic Impact Research (EIR), the sector contributed US$ 343.1 billion to Japan’s economy in 2025, representing 8.1% of overall GDP and making Japan the world’s fifth-largest Travel & & Tourism economy. The sector grew by 4.6% in 2015, considerably ahead of the 1.1% development tape-recorded by Japan’s broader economy.

International visitor costs has actually been a significant motorist of this development. International visitors invested US$ 63.3 billion in Japan in 2025, making the nation the world’s seventh-largest market for global visitor costs, up from 15th in 2019. Investing increased by 8.8% year-on-year and was 74.9% greater than in 2019.

Japan’s ongoing success as a tourist location has actually been supported by its strong worldwide brand name appeal, varied tourist offering, connection and transportation facilities. The nation is likewise welcoming digital improvement throughout the Travel & & Tourism sector, consisting of using AI-powered innovations and automation to improve labor force performance, enhance operations and support a much better travel experience. As the sector continues to develop, development and cooperation in between the general public and economic sectors will be essential to opening future development and competitiveness.

At the exact same time, the fast development in global visitors is positioning higher concentrate on location stewardship, with policymakers and market significantly thinking about how tourist development can be handled together with the requirements of regional neighborhoods.

JATA is a basic bundled association in Japan and a trade association for travel bureau whose goals are to broaden travel need, enhance travel services, and promote the sound advancement of the tourist market. It has 1,200 complete members, 326 associate members, 80 affiliate members, and 137 abroad affiliate members. Tourist EXPO Japan is a significant global tourist occasion, combining public and economic sector stakeholders from Japan and all over the world to promote tourist advancement, worldwide exchange and cooperation throughout the Travel & & Tourism sector.

Gloria Guevara, President & & CEO, WTTC, stated: Japan has actually constructed among the world’s most effective Travel & & Tourism economies, integrating an amazing tourist offering with strong connection and a positive method to tourist advancement. This brand-new contract combines 3 organisations with a shared aspiration to reinforce Japan’s connections with the international Travel & & Tourism neighborhood and produce brand-new chances for cooperation.

As the sector goes into a brand-new period formed by AI and digital improvement, development and cooperation will be more vital than ever. Through this collaboration, we can share understanding, support the adoption of brand-new innovations, aid enhance labor force performance and develop brand-new chances for companies and locations. We eagerly anticipate interacting to support the long-lasting development of Japan’s Travel & & Tourism sector and enhance its function on the international phase.”

Yuji Hara, Chairman, JATA, stated:“I think that the finalizing of this Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism cooperation with the WTTC– a prominent worldwide company representing the economic sector– is a substantial turning point for our association, which is likewise a private-sector tourist market company. I eagerly anticipate the Japanese and global economic sectors associated with tourist interacting to share their insights and understanding, thus promoting sustainable, long-lasting, and inclusive tourist and advancing efforts that benefit our particular members.”

Eijiro Yamakita, Chairperson, TEJ Executive Committee, stated: “I am happy that we had the ability to sign this memorandum of understanding. In specific, I think that the contract reached through this memorandum for the WTTC to take part in Tourism EXPO Japan will assist improve the occasion’s worldwide existence. I think that Japan’s involvement in occasions arranged by the WTTC will promote shared exchange and contribute to boosting Japan’s existence in the worldwide tourist sector.”

Under the MOU, the 3 organisations will check out chances to exchange research study, reports, insights, market intelligence and finest practices, supporting evidence-based decision-making and the future advancement of Travel & & Tourism. They will likewise check out chances for partnership on research study efforts and joint activities at tactical Travel & & Tourism occasions in Japan and globally.

The collaboration will support higher worldwide engagement, consisting of chances for JATA and Tourism EXPO Japan stakeholders to get in touch with WTTC Members and the wider worldwide Travel & & Tourism neighborhood, while developing chances for WTTC to engage with senior leaders and market stakeholders throughout Japan.

The 3 organisations will likewise check out chances to support development, digital change, competitiveness and strength throughout the sector, along with more powerful cooperation with nationwide, local and city location management organisations to support the sustainable advancement and global positioning of locations.

The MOU shows a shared dedication to enhancing cooperation in between Japan’s Travel & & Tourism sector and the international tourist neighborhood, developing higher chances for partnership, understanding exchange and worldwide engagement.