Tag Archives: South Korea

Global surge & weaker yen bring record 37mn visitors to Japan in 2024

A record number of visitors flocked to Japan in 2024, owing to increased post-pandemic worldwide tourism movement and a weakening yen.

Foreign travellers increased by 47% to a record 36.9 million last year, driven by tourists from South Korea, Taiwan, and China, according to data issued by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on Wednesday. The previous high was 31.9 million tourists in 2019, just before Covid-19 halted foreign travel.

According to the most recent data, the country is well on track to surpass 60 million foreign tourists by 2030. This is owing, in part, to Japan’s reputation as a far more cheap tourism destination, while being one of the world’s most developed economies. As the yen fell to a 37-year low last year, incoming visitors found it much more cheap to dine, travel, and spend at luxury stores.

The number of international visitors visiting Japan also set a new record for a single month in December, thanks in part to increasing regional connections connecting South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, according to the JNTO. The weak yen has also hampered outbound travel, with the number of Japanese travelling overseas remaining at 13 million in 2024, 35% lower than in 2019. (Source: First Post)

Lotte Hotels & Resorts migrates to Sabre SynXis CRS

Sabre Hospitality, a division of Sabre Corporation is now the primary reservation platform for Lotte Hotels & Resorts.

This migration marks a major milestone for Lotte Hotels & Resortsas they transition to the advanced capabilities of Sabre’s SynXis Central Reservation System (CRS). The strategic move will streamline reservation processes and distribution capabilities across the LOTTE portfolio, while enhancing retailing opportunities, and supporting their growth ambitions in South Korea and internationally.
“We’re laser focused on enhancing the end-to-end experience for our guests, which is why we chose to deepen our alliance with Sabre Hospitality,” said Jaehwan Kim, Chief DX Officer of Lotte Hotels & Resorts.

“By adding our properties to the SynXis CRS, we are positioning ourselves to better serve our guests with more efficient and seamless reservation experiences. This enhanced collaboration with Sabre marks an exciting new chapter for us, as we continue to expand our footprint and deliver exceptional luxury experiences across the globe.”

Through this enhanced alliance, Lotte Hotels & Resorts will use a number of advanced Sabre Hospitality solutions to further elevate the guest experience and improve operational efficiency.

These include:
• SynXis Retailing to seamlessly sell services and experiences, with or without a room booking, helping to increase hotel revenue;
• SynXis Booking Engine to optimize their direct booking path and convert customers;
• Corporate Booking Tool for managing business travel;
• Voice Agent for enhanced direct customer interaction;
• Meta Search to improve online visibility; and
• Channel Connect to ensure real-time distribution across multiple platforms.

“We’re delighted to amplify our alliance with Lotte Hotels & Resorts. This new agreement is a testament to our advanced technology, strong relationship, and deep market and global expertise,” said Frank Trampert, Senior Vice President, Global Managing Director of Sabre Hospitality.

“The migration to our cloud-based SynXis CRS will empower Lotte Hotels & Resorts with advanced technology to optimize operations, reach new markets, and enhance guest experiences.”

 

InterparkTriple selects Sabre GDS to boost growth & tourism to South Korea

Sabre Corporation , a software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, has signed a new long-term, strategic partner agreement with InterparkTriple.

Following the recently announced partnership agreement between InterparkTriple and Sabre to collaborate on AI-driven technologies, the ambitious travel technology platform will now also use Sabre’s global distribution system (GDS) to significantly enhance its geographic reach, using Sabre’s advanced APIs and extensive travel partner network to offer leading airline, hotel and other travel content, including NDC offers.

InterparkTriple is aiming to help South Korea attract 50 million inbound tourists annually by 2028, including by appealing to so-called ‘set-jetters’; visitors who are inspired to travel after seeing a destination on TV shows or movies. The new deal means InterparkTriple will have more content options at its fingertips to create the right itineraries for their travellers.

“Sabre’s technology is foundational to our growth strategy and will help to ensure we can grow faster than the market, both in Korea and globally, with appealing content that showcases Korea’s unique characteristics,” said Jun Shin, Head of InterparkTriple’s Travel Business Group. “We’re confident this will help Korea to fulfil its potential as a tourism powerhouse, making the national goal of attracting 50 million inbound tourists more attainable.”

The company, which revealed its new name last June after a merger of travel platforms Triple and Interpark, plans to continue to develop and expand K-package tours, capitalising on a growing global interest in Korean culture, and encouraging tourists to explore other parts of the country in addition to the usual visitor hotspots in Seoul.

“We’re thrilled to be working with InterparkTriple on multiple initiatives so we can further expand our footprint in this important marketplace and play an increasing role in South Korea’s burgeoning tourism industry,” said Brett Thorstad, Vice President, Sabre Travel Solutions, Agency Sales and Airline Distribution, Asia Pacific. “You can have the best travel content in the world, but without the right technology partner, it’s impossible to grow in a significant way; it’s fantastic that InterparkTriple has selected Sabre’s GDS to elevate in South Korea and on the world tourism stage.”

Japan mandates online authorisation for 71 countries

 

Japan will soon mandate that travellers from 71 visa-free countries, including Malaysia and Singapore, obtain online travel authorisation before entering the country. This new system, similar to the U.S. ESTA, will require travellers to submit personal details online before departure. This measure aims to enhance border security and streamline entry procedures. The initiative, part of Japan’s broader tourism plan, is expected to be fully implemented by 2030.

Currently, citizens from visa-exempt countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, the UK, the U.S., and Australia do not need a visa to enter Japan. The new system will require these travellers to provide their purpose of visit and accommodation details for review by Japan’s Immigration Services Agency. Those flagged as potential overstays will be denied authorisation and must apply for a formal visa through their local embassy.

Japan’s government plans to fund this travel authorisation system in next year’s budget, aiming to bolster entry management and security. Data from JTB Tourism Research and Consulting Co shows that Japan welcomed around 22,000 visitors from Malaysia between January and June, contributing to a total of over 17.7 million visits during that period.

Under the existing system, airlines send passenger information to the Japanese government shortly after takeoff for screening. However, travellers who fail this screening can still enter Japan, and non-compliance with departure orders has been an issue. The new system is designed to address these concerns by preventing illegal stays and better managing entry.

The Japanese government has reported significant system abuse, with over 28,000 of 49,801 illegal short-term visitors in January 2016 coming from visa-exempt countries. This high rate of overstays has driven the need for enhanced measures to ensure compliance and secure Japan’s borders.

India ranks 82nd on global passport index

As per the latest ranking by the Henley Passport Index, India is on the 82nd spot with visa-free entry to Indians offered by 58 nations.

This ranking is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). India’s current rank ties it with nations like Senegal and Tajikistan.

Singapore passport has been named the world’s most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 195 countries, as per the list. France, Italy, Germany and Spain tied with Japan in second place, providing passport holders access to 192 countries. Then, in third place in the ranking, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden all have visa-free access to 191 destinations.

The United Kingdom is the fourth place, alongside New Zealand, Norway, Belgium, Denmark and Switzerland. Australia and Portugal shared the No. 5 spot, while the United States dropped down to eighth place, with visa-free access to 186 countries.

India’s passport ranked 82nd on the list, with citizens allowed to travel to 58 countries without a visa, including popular destinations like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Neighbouring Pakistan is positioned at 100th, providing passport holders access to 33 countries. At the bottom of the list is Afghanistan with easy access to 26 destinations.
Christian Kaelin, Chair of Henley and Partners, said, “The global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than it has ever been,” he said in a statement.

 

Japan welcomes million more visitors compared to pre-Covid during first half of 2024

Japan welcomed a million more foreign visitors in the first half of 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels, logging a new record of 17.78 million, the Japan National Tourism Organization said.

The weak yen is attracting large crowds to Japan, with many tourists splashing out on everything from kimonos to knives and pricey meals.

The January-June figure beat the previous high from 2019 of 16.63 million, with the influx prompting locals at hot spots such as Kyoto and Mount Fuji to raise overtourism concerns.

By country, South Korean visitors to Japan topped the chart at 4.4 million in the six-month period. China was second at around 3 million, five times as many as in the same period last year.

Visitors from Taiwan were in third place and the United States in fourth.

Over the whole of 2023, 25 million visitors came to Japan, after strict pandemic-era border restrictions were lifted.
The country has set an ambitious goal of attracting 60 million tourists a year by 2030 — around double 2019’s full-year record of 31.88 million.

Last month, Ichiro Takahashi, head of the Japan National Tourism Organization, called the target “a figure that we can very much achieve by making the right efforts.”

“There are still many little-known places in Japan that are left unexplored by tourists from overseas — I believe Japan has infinite tourism resources,” he told reporters.

The government will introduce a new preclearance system from next January, starting with tourists from Taiwan, NHK reported. Visitors will be able to complete most of their immigration screening before departure to help shorten the time taken for entry procedures on arrival, according to the report.

The slump in the yen has turned Japan from a pricey bucket-list trip to a relatively inexpensive tourism and shopping destination. The government declared at a meeting to promote tourism held Friday that JYP 8 trillion ($50.7 billion) of spending by foreign visitors is within sight in 2024. (Source: AFP)