On March 12, JATA (Japan Association of Travel Agents) held a regular press conference at its headquarters in Kasumigaseki to explain Tourism EXPO Japan 2025. Speakers were Manabu Hayasaka, Director of the Tourism EXPO Japan Promotion Office, and Mitsuro Machida, Deputy Director.
Tourism Expo Japan is one of the world’s largest travel events, co-hosted by JATA, Japan Tourism Organization (JTA), and Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). Tourism bureaus, travel agencies, airlines, accommodation facilities, and related businesses from all over Japan and the world will gather at their respective booths to provide the latest information.
This year’s theme is “Travel is Rediscovering Knowledge. Mr. Hayasaka explained, “We decided on this theme based on the idea that travel is something to enjoy, to know, and to learn.
The venue is “Aichi Sky Expo” (Aichi International Exhibition Hall) Exhibition Halls B-F. This will be the first time the event will be held in Aichi Prefecture. The exhibition will be held for four days from September 25 to 28. The first two days will be industry days, and the second two days will be open to the public.
The following three reasons were given for moving the venue from last year’s Tokyo event.
1: Contribute to the region by developing new sightseeing routes in Aichi and Chubu-Hokuriku and communicating their attractions to the world.
2: Further internationalization of Centrair (Central Japan International Airport)
3: Support for reconstruction in the Hokuriku region
The target for visitors is 100,000, 34,000 for the industry day and 66,000 for the general day; no other exhibition held at Aichi Sky Expo has ever had more than 30,000 visitors per day. Therefore, this event aims to break the record on the general day.
The target number of exhibitors is 1,100 booths. As the venue area is 80% of last year’s size, the target number of exhibitors is also set at 80%. Applications are still being accepted, and approximately 35% of the exhibitors are expected to be from overseas.
Exhibits will include a special area featuring regional characteristics, special sections such as Adventure, Academy, and Sports, as well as a Contents Tourism, Workcation and Vacation section that will take visitors to locations and sacred sites for anime, manga, and movies.
In addition, nine prefectures in the Chubu-Hokuriku region (Aichi, Mie, Gifu, Shizuoka, Nagano, Shiga, Ishikawa, Toyama, and Fukui) will have a joint booth for the first time. A Hokuriku products exhibition is also under consideration. Highlights of each booth will be distributed via video and website around September.
In addition, as in the previous year, students will be invited to industry days and admission will be free on general days to promote interest in the industry among young people and to promote overseas travel.
In the latter half of the press conference, he explained the “Japan Tourism Awards,” for which award ceremonies are usually held at the EXPO venue.
This year’s award recognizes initiatives that have contributed to the development and expansion of tourism. A wider range of initiatives will be accepted this year so that the spotlight will be placed on initiatives that can be developed horizontally both domestically and internationally.
In addition, the new system will also allow applications from other nominations. In the past, students have been hesitant to apply and have inquired, “Is this initiative also eligible?” They would like to see outstanding initiatives introduced from a third party’s perspective.
Applications will be accepted until May 30. After the first and second rounds of screening and final selection, the results will be announced in late August, and an award ceremony will be held at the EXPO in September.
Applicants should be national government, government, tourist bureau, embassy, local government, tourist association, DMO, NPO, travel agency, transportation, lodging, distribution, food, ICT, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, processing industry, traditional craft, souvenir production, sales industry, TV station, newspaper, publishing company, film commission, sports commission, industry Tourism, etc.
The recruitment target is 150 cases. Mr. Machida said, “In 2023, we had 140 cases, and in 2024, 119 cases. We are aiming for 150 this time, including a return to the pre-Corona level,” he appealed.
© Source travel watch
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