Wondering if it’s still possible to find a beautiful yet under-the-radar destination in Japan? It certainly is. In a world where popular destinations teem with tourists, Setouchi, a region comprised of the western end of Honshu and the Island of Shikoku, offers a more tranquil yet fascinating adventure in Japan.
Japan Travel Recovery an Opportunity, Says KKday
15.11.2023 - 19:25 / skift.com / Selene Brophy
Tours and activities operators in Asia expect at least another 6 to 12 months of pent-up travel demand. However, maximizing this opportunity depends on addressing capacity bottlenecks, especially in markets like Japan.
“It gets so chaotic that we have to help the suppliers,” said Wei-chun Liu, chief operating officer for KKday, a Taipei-based experiences booking company.
Visitors to Japan surpassed 2019 levels for the first time in October, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday.
Liu said that Japan has struggled to manage the surge in travel demand after restrictions lifted a year ago.
“We are seeing a lot of constraints from the industry, for example, the bus capacity, the tour guide capacity, are all a challenge right now,” said Liu. “Our team spent a lot of time trying to secure capacity for buses. The price of buses has probably doubled.”
KKday claims to have doubled its market share in key destinations like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan over the past year.
In particular, bookings for outdoor activities have grown 350% in 2023 compared to 2019.
Founded in 2014, KKday’s business model has transitioned from business to consumer to include business to business, with the company reaching 6 million customers this year. In July last year, KKday raised $95 million in series C funding, which it used to expand with brands such as Fine Day for the luxury market, and Activity Japan, one of the largest tour booking platforms in the country.
KKday also services over 3,500 small and mid-sized activity providers, offering 15,000 travel experiences in 550 cities through its reservations management software platform, Rezio.
Whereas KKday would typically outsource its specially curated tours, the company now manages more tour components to better deal with the service delivery issues it sees. Liu explained that KKday’s approach to creating less conventional experiences strategically looked at operational tension points in inconvenient and off-the-beaten destinations.
“We wouldn’t do our own tour in Singapore just because it’s so convenient. We do places a bit far out, where it’s not easy to get to, where there’s no public transportation,” said Liu.
“Because our demographic is mostly young people, age 25 to 35, they don’t want to go somewhere other people go. They want to take a new picture for their Instagram,” said Liu. “We curate products, look at social media trends, and the upcoming new destinations.”
Demand and the size of the route were added considerations. Liu said Southeast Asia destinations like Vietnam, Cebu, and the outskirts of Bangkok all matched this criteria.
A post shared by KKday Taiwan
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Autors
Popular Topics
euronews.com
29.11.2023 / 16:49
A glimpse of Tokyo: promoting the Japanese capital in Paris
The city of Tokyo has a lot to offer for visitors, with its exciting attractions, traditional monuments, natural sites, and of course its delicious food. As tourists can enter Japan again, it is a great time to discover all that its capital has to offer.
nationalgeographic.com
29.11.2023 / 08:51
5 reasons to visit Japan's Sado Island
A ragged ‘S’ off the north coast of central Japan, Sado — the country’s sixth-largest island — is a lesser-known destination for most travellers, yet it embodies many of the finest elements of Japan’s culture and history. As a former place of exile, disgraced aristocrats and scholars were sent to Sado to live out their days. With thriving gold mines and lying on a busy shipping route, Sado once contained a broad mix of Japanese society in miniature — home to samurai warriors and working-class merchants. Its geography is also a microcosm of Japan, with emerald-green lagoons, cedar forests and the grand Osado mountain range. Sado is an overlooked gem, with its temples, tub-boats and toki (crested ibis birds) providing a nature-filled getaway. Combined with a city break in Niigata on the mainland, a visit here allows travellers to experience the best of Japan.
skift.com
29.11.2023 / 05:29
Visa Waiver Sparks Travel Interest in Thailand for Indian Travelers
Travel searches by Indian travelers for Thailand have spiked. Online travel agency Agoda’s search data for the peak December travel period shows recent visa policy changes have impacted travel preferences and top destination choices for Indian travelers.
traveldailynews.com
27.11.2023 / 09:53
Roadmap to travel recovery: Content marketing and COVID-19
inPowered compiled a case study on “A Roadmap to Travel Recovery: Content Marketing and COVID-19” – its recommendations on how travel brands can employ content marketing to transition into a post-COVID world.
insider.com
26.11.2023 / 13:51
I visited Japan and the highlight of my trip was the toilets. Here's why I'm still thinking about them.
I hate using public restrooms. I dislike the sounds, the smells, and the sensations. When I'm exiting the bathroom stall, I hate the awkward shuffle I have to do when I'm pulling the door towards me, while at the same time, trying to avoid touching the rim of the toilet with the back of my legs. But the worst part for me about using a public restroom is people overhearing me.
forbes.com
26.11.2023 / 10:03
Travel Bucket List: 54 Best Towns To Visit In The World, According To A New Report
Searching for the best places to visit that promote cultural diversity and sustainable travel? The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) recently released its third annual list of the Best Tourism Villages for 2023, a compilation of authentic, lesser-known places to travel. Consider this your new travel bucket list.
lonelyplanet.com
23.11.2023 / 16:53
The 10 most wonderful places to visit in Japan
Japan offers up a real feast for travelers, with mountainside onsen (hot spring) villages, sleepy beach-lined islands, and buzzing megacities all on the menu.
forbes.com
23.11.2023 / 09:49
Put This Foodie City On Your Travel Wish List: Tbilisi, Georgia
People like to ask travel and food writers about their favorite countries for eating. I name the usual suspects—Italy, Mexico, Japan. And then there’s my dark horse: Georgia (“the country,” I sometimes clarify, depending on my audience). The country is an ancient melting pot at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Russia and the Middle East; a place with a complicated history; a self-proclaimed capital of life, love, food and wine in the “forgotten backyard of Europe.”
breakingtravelnews.com
21.11.2023 / 13:17
Tourism Shizuoka Japan Highlights Local Delicacies and Experiences to be enjoyed this Winter
Located one hour away by bullet train from Tokyo, the prefecture of Shizuoka boasts an array of seasonal delicacies during the autumn and winter months. Below Tourism Shizuoka Japan highlights some hands-on foodie experiences that can be enjoyed over this period, including kiwi and mandarin picking and oyster farming. A boost of vitamin C
skift.com
21.11.2023 / 11:47
China's Trip.com Group Reports 99% Increase in Net Revenue in Q3 2022, Outbound Travel Surges
In a significant rebound fueled by heightened summer travel demand, China’s Trip.com Group posted a net revenue of RMB 13.7 billion ($1.9 billion) in the third quarter, marking a 99% increase over 2022 and 31% increase from 2019 levels.
forbes.com
19.11.2023 / 22:32
The 15 Safest Countries To Travel To In 2024—According To A New Report
Safety is a top concern for many when choosing where to travel — a consideration that carries even more importance given the current landscape in the Middle East with the Israel-Hamas war and the U.S. State Department’s worldwide caution travel advisory. To help pinpoint safe countries for travel in 2024, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has published its “Safest Destinations” report for the ninth year in a row. The report ranks both the top safety countries and the top safest cities globally.