Japan is strengthening its ties with the global Travel & Tourism industry through a new partnership between the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and the Tourism EXPO Japan (TEJ) Executive Committee.

The three organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) focused on collaboration, innovation, knowledge exchange and international engagement, with the aim of strengthening Japan’s position within the global Travel & Tourism community.

WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara signed the agreement alongside JATA Chairman Yuji Hara and TEJ Executive Committee Chairperson Eijiro Yamakita.

The partnership will create opportunities for research and knowledge exchange, international dialogue, industry engagement and collaboration between Japan’s tourism sector and global industry stakeholders.

The agreement comes as Japan’s Travel & Tourism industry continues to deliver strong economic growth.

According to WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research, the sector contributed $343.1 billion to Japan’s economy in 2025, equivalent to 8.1% of total GDP.

This made Japan the world’s fifth-largest Travel & Tourism economy.

The sector grew by 4.6% during the year, compared with 1.1% growth across Japan’s wider economy.

International tourism has been a major contributor to that expansion. International visitors spent $63.3 billion in Japan in 2025, making the country the world’s seventh-largest market for international visitor spending, compared with 15th in 2019. Spending rose 8.8% year-on-year and was 74.9% higher than in 2019.

Japan’s tourism growth has been supported by its global brand appeal, diverse tourism offering, connectivity and transport infrastructure.

The sector is also undergoing digital transformation, including the adoption of AI-powered technologies and automation designed to improve workforce efficiency, streamline operations and enhance the visitor experience.

Against this backdrop, the new partnership will focus on supporting innovation, competitiveness and resilience across the sector.

The organisations also highlighted the growing importance of destination stewardship as rising international visitor numbers increase the need to balance tourism growth with the interests of local communities.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, said: “Japan has built one of the world’s most successful Travel & Tourism economies, combining an extraordinary tourism offering with strong connectivity and a forward-looking approach to tourism development. This new agreement brings together three organisations with a shared ambition to strengthen Japan’s connections with the global Travel & Tourism community and create new opportunities for collaboration.

As the sector enters a new era shaped by AI and digital transformation, innovation and collaboration will be more important than ever. Through this partnership, we can share knowledge, support the adoption of new technologies, help improve workforce efficiency and create new opportunities for businesses and destinations. We look forward to working together to support the long-term growth of Japan’s Travel & Tourism sector and strengthen its role on the global stage.”

Yuji Hara, Chairman, JATA, said: “I believe that the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism cooperation with the WTTC—a leading international organization representing the private sector—is a significant milestone for our association, which is also a private-sector tourism industry organization. I look forward to the Japanese and international private sectors involved in tourism working together to share their insights and knowledge, thereby promoting sustainable, long-term, and inclusive tourism and advancing initiatives that benefit our respective members.”

Eijiro Yamakita, Chairperson, TEJ Executive Committee, said: “I am pleased that we were able to sign this memorandum of understanding. In particular, I believe that the agreement reached through this memorandum for the WTTC to participate in Tourism EXPO Japan will help enhance the event’s international presence. Furthermore, I believe that Japan’s participation in events organized by the WTTC will promote mutual exchange and contribute to enhancing Japan’s presence in the international tourism sector.”

Under the MOU, the organisations will explore exchanges of research, reports, market intelligence, insights and best practices, as well as potential joint research and activities at major Travel & Tourism events in Japan and overseas.

The partnership will also facilitate connections between JATA and TEJ stakeholders and WTTC members and the wider global tourism community.

Further cooperation will focus on digital transformation, innovation, destination management and sustainable tourism development.

The agreement marks a new framework for cooperation between Japan’s tourism industry and international partners as the country seeks to build on its recent tourism growth while strengthening its global engagement. -TradeArabia News Service