The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and the Tourism EXPO Japan (TEJ) Executive Committee have joined forces to strengthen Japan’s position at the heart of the global Travel & Tourism community, signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) focused on collaboration, innovation, knowledge exchange and international engagement.

WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara has signed the agreement alongside JATA Chairman Yuji Hara and Tourism EXPO Japan Executive Committee Chairperson Eijiro Yamakita, bringing together three leading organisations with a shared ambition to strengthen connections between Japan’s Travel & Tourism sector and the global industry. The agreement will create new opportunities for knowledge exchange, international dialogue, industry engagement and collaboration across the sector.

The partnership comes as Japan’s Travel & Tourism sector continues to deliver significant economic growth. According to WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), the sector contributed US$343.1 billion to Japan’s economy in 2025, representing 8.1% of total GDP and making Japan the world’s fifth-largest Travel & Tourism economy. The sector grew by 4.6% last year, significantly ahead of the 1.1% growth recorded by Japan’s wider economy.

International visitor spending has been a major driver of this growth. International travellers spent US$63.3 billion in Japan in 2025, making the country the world’s seventh-largest market for international visitor spending, up from 15th in 2019. Spending increased by 8.8% year-on-year and was 74.9% higher than in 2019.

Japan’s continued success as a tourism destination has been supported by its strong global brand appeal, diverse tourism offering, connectivity and transport infrastructure. The country is also embracing digital transformation across the Travel & Tourism sector, including the use of AI-powered technologies and automation to enhance workforce efficiency, improve operations and support a better travel experience. As the sector continues to evolve, innovation and collaboration between the public and private sectors will be key to unlocking future growth and competitiveness.

At the same time, the rapid growth in international visitors is placing greater focus on destination stewardship, with policymakers and industry increasingly considering how tourism growth can be managed alongside the needs of local communities.

JATA is a general incorporated association in Japan and a trade association for travel agencies whose objectives are to expand travel demand, improve travel services, and promote the sound development of the tourism industry. It has 1,200 full members, 326 associate members, 80 affiliate members, and 137 overseas affiliate members. Tourism EXPO Japan is a major international tourism event, bringing together public and private sector stakeholders from Japan and around the world to promote tourism development, international exchange and collaboration across the Travel & Tourism sector.

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 three organisations will explore opportunities to exchange research, reports, insights, market intelligence and best practices, supporting evidence-based decision-making and the future development of Travel & Tourism. They will also explore opportunities for collaboration on research initiatives and joint activities at strategic Travel & Tourism events in Japan and internationally.

The partnership will support greater international engagement, including opportunities for JATA and Tourism EXPO Japan stakeholders to connect with WTTC Members and the broader global Travel & Tourism community, while creating opportunities for WTTC to engage with senior leaders and industry stakeholders across Japan.

The three organisations will also explore opportunities to support innovation, digital transformation, competitiveness and resilience across the sector, alongside stronger cooperation with national, regional and city destination management organisations to support the sustainable development and international positioning of destinations.

The MOU reflects a shared commitment to strengthening cooperation between Japan’s Travel & Tourism sector and the global tourism community, creating greater opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange and international engagement.