The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and Tourism EXPO Japan signed a cooperation agreement in Tokyo in September 2026. The agreement establishes a strategic partnership connecting Japan’s travel industry with international tourism leaders and private sector companies during the four-day Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 event held at Tokyo Big Sight from September 24 to 27.
Details of the Cooperation Agreement
The memorandum of understanding was signed by WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara, JATA Chairman Yuji Hara, and TEJ Executive Committee Chairperson Eijiro Yamakita. It covers collaboration in research, market intelligence, participation in international events, business engagement, and
innovation. The agreement aims to link WTTC’s expanded global network, which now includes corporate and destination members worldwide, with JATA’s extensive membership and Japan’s travel distribution channels.
JATA comprises 1,200 full members, 326 associate members, 80 affiliate members, and 137 overseas affiliates, representing airlines, hotels, tour operators, travel agents, and destination organizations. This global structure offers a significant gateway for inbound tourism to Japan and outbound travel distribution from Japan to key destinations.
Tourism EXPO Japan’s Scale and Role
Tourism EXPO Japan 2026, organized by JATA, the Japan Travel and Tourism Association, and the Japan National Tourism Organization, is Asia’s major travel marketplace. The event dedicates
its first two days to travel trade and press, followed by consumer days over the weekend.
In 2025, Tourism EXPO Japan attracted 1,350 companies and organizations from 82 countries and regions and recorded 127,677 visitors. It operates as both a consumer show and a business platform with walk-in negotiations and pre-arranged meetings that link travel industry buyers with global destinations and suppliers, providing WTTC access to travel buyers and operators throughout Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.
Strategic Importance for Key Destinations
Hawai’i Tourism Japan featured prominently at the 2026 event alongside 16 sub-exhibitors, including major hotel and resort brands such as Halekulani, Outrigger Resorts &
Hotels, Prince Resorts Hawaii, the Polynesian Cultural Center, Battleship Missouri Memorial, and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. Hawaii welcomed 731,922 Japanese visitors in 2025, an increase of 3.3% from 2024, underscoring the enduring importance of the Japanese market.
Guam reported approximately 253,600 Japanese visitors in 2025, rising 21.5% year-over-year. The Guam Visitors Bureau reinforced its presence through the One Guam Roadshow in January 2026, which covered Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka with 22 member companies participating in around 410 business-to-business meetings. In 2025, more than 120 meetings were held at Tourism EXPO Japan with 11 Guam companies, while over 12,000
people visited the Guam booth during consumer days.
WTTC’s Expansion Strategy Under Gloria Guevara
Under Gloria Guevara’s leadership since her return as WTTC President & CEO in 2026, the Council has prioritized expanding private-sector membership, regional representation, and destination engagement. More than 15 companies are in the membership pipeline with recent additions including Allianz Partners, Ensemble Travel, Avolta, and Club Med Lifestyle Group. Destination members joining this year include Switzerland Tourism, Uganda Tourism Board, Egyptian Tourism Authority, and Malta Tourism Authority.
WTTC operates from Madrid with regional directors covering Latin America and the Caribbean, North Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, North America, and Europe
to provide tailored research and advocacy. This global reach strengthens WTTC’s role as a private sector voice in tourism governance while enhancing cooperation with destinations and public partners worldwide.
Japan’s Tourism Economy and Industry Challenges
According to WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research, Japan’s Travel & Tourism sector contributed US$343.1 billion or 8.1% to the nation’s GDP in 2025, making it the world’s fifth-largest Travel & Tourism economy. The sector grew 4.6% in 2025 compared to 1.1% growth in the overall economy. International visitor spending reached US$63.3 billion, placing Japan seventh globally, with expenditures up 74.9% above 2019 levels.
Japan’s tourism industry faces challenges including overtourism, workforce
shortages, sustainability, digital transformation, artificial intelligence adoption, and visitor-community relations. The new partnership aims to facilitate exchange of research, best practices, and innovation between WTTC, JATA, and Tourism EXPO Japan to address these issues through shared knowledge and joint initiatives.
