Japan tourism sector expands global partnerships and sustainability standards

Japan's travel and tourism sector is undergoing significant strategic shifts toward international standards and global collaboration. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), and the Tourism EXPO Japan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen Japan's position in the global industry through innovation and knowledge exchange. This comes as the sector contributed US$343.1 billion to Japan's economy in 2025, representing 8.1% of the national GDP.

In parallel, there is a growing emphasis on sustainable tourism. Japan Airlines (JAL) is expanding its partnership with Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) accredited certification bodies to support domestic hotels, local governments, and tour operators in meeting international sustainability standards. JAL will also collaborate with European-based certification body Vireo Srl starting in October 2026 to extend certification capabilities to entire tourist destinations.

Additionally, the GSTC recently conducted specialized sustainable tourism training for the JTB Group. The program focused on the GSTC Hotel and Tour Operator Standards, incorporating lectures and field trips to sites like The Capitol Hotel Tokyu to demonstrate how environmental, social, and economic sustainability can be integrated into practical business operations.