Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Marilee Crocker
    • Paul M. Ruden
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Is Japan the World’s Next Wellness Destination?

by Jessica Montevago / August 23, 2019
Is Japan the World’s Next Wellness Destination?

Beppu is known for its onsen, or hot springs. Photo: Shutterstock


Japan is now the third-largest wellness tourism destination in Asia, in terms of total visitors, according to the Global Wellness Institute’s 2019 Global Wellness Trends report.

Since the tourism industry has received substantial investments in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, officials are promoting Japanese wellness — from an extraordinary hot springs culture to forest bathing — to broaden the country’s international appeal.

To become a tourism-oriented country by 2020 calls for a shift in Japan’s growth path.

Because wellness tourists are big spenders, an inbound wellness tourism surge would help disperse tourists from the over-visited Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo routes. Currently, 48% of tourist stays are concentrated in the major cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, according to The Future of Japan’s Tourism: Path for Sustainable Growth, which suggests a significant opportunity for Japan to attract more visitors to locations outside of the top urban areas. Even when tourists do travel to other administrative districts in Japan, they spend an average of 30% less than they do in those three major cities.

Since the Japanese government has made it a priority to revitalize non-metropolitan areas, increasing tourism in these areas could be a core element of its strategy, the report said.

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) is developing wellness-focused tourism in lesser-known destinations, such as Misugi, which promotes natural assets like stargazing and forest bathing; and Beppu, on the southern island of Kyushu, known for its onsen (hot springs). The scenic area, where rocky baths overlook the ocean at high-class mountain retreats, has close to 3,000 hot spring vents.

Other strategic wellness tourism zones include the Dragon Route in central Japan, which includes historic and cultural sites, natural landscapes (including Mount Fuji), and plenty of hot springs.

High-end brands — including InterContinental, Hyatt and Marriott — are capitalizing on the attraction of the traditional Japanese spa experience and opening resorts in some of these destinations. 

With the 2019 opening of the ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa, the area is aiming to increase its international tourism numbers significantly. The 89-room resort offers two large outdoor onsens, with private onsen rooms within an exclusive space complete with a luxurious day bed, bathroom, and minimalist design. At the heart of the resort is an infinity pool overlooking Beppu’s hot springs below. The spa offers a selection of tailor-made treatments and therapies using materials derived from nature, with five treatment rooms, an outdoor garden, and two double massage rooms featuring a jacuzzi made from Japanese cypress.

The 214-key Park Hyatt Niseko, Hanazono, slated to open in Jan. 2020 in one of Japan’s prime ski destinations, will also have a large wellness component.

Japan’s Niseko incoming development pipeline also includes the ultra-luxury Aman in Moiwa and the 50-key Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Niseko Village, opening Sept. 2020.

Luxury resort operator Banyon Tree, promoting wellness lifestyle since the later 1990s, will open its first Japanese property in 2022. Located in Kyoto, the 60-room resort will house a Banyan Tree Spa and onsen facilities focusing on rejuvenation, along with a specialty restaurant, library, and gymnasium.

  6
  0
explora
Related Articles
New Opening: The Westin Yokohama, Marriott's Newest Japan Hotel
Japan Could Boot Tourists Who Disobey COVID-19 Rules
Japan Confirms Plan to Start Its Travel Reopening This Month
JW Marriott Is Coming to Tokyo in 2025
Japan Could Reopen to North Americans Next Month
Japan Says It's Reopening, But Not to Travelers Just Yet
Lindblad Expeditions Unveils New Itineraries to Replace Voyages Impacted by Ukraine Invasion
MSC Reveals Wellness Experiences Onboard MSC Seascape
CDC Adds Japan, More Destination to Highest Advisory List
More People Test Positive for Coronavirus on Quarantined Cruise

MOST VIEWED

Brought To You By
  1. A&K Purchases Crystal Ships, Revives Crystal Cruises Brand
  2. CDC Adds Three Caribbean Destinations to “High-Risk” COVID-19 List
  3. Travel to Italy Is Officially Back to Normal
  4. Viking Drops Onboard & Pre-Cruise COVID-19 Testing
  5. Three Cruise Lines Bring Masks Back in Alaska
  6. How Travel Advisors Can Cope With Chaos in Air Travel

MOST EMAILED

Brought To You By
  1. Travel to Italy Is Officially Back to Normal
  2. Report: U.S. to End COVID-19 Air Travel Testing Requirement
  3. A&K Purchases Crystal Ships, Revives Crystal Cruises Brand
  4. Japan Could Boot Tourists Who Disobey COVID-19 Rules
  5. Viking Drops Onboard & Pre-Cruise COVID-19 Testing
  6. Bahamas Eliminates Travel Health Visa, But COVID Test Requirement Remains
explora
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Bonaire Is Adding a Tourist Tax Starting on July 1
Bonaire Is Adding a Tourist Tax Starting on July 1

Bonaire, the Dutch Caribbean island, is adding a visitor entry tax for all travelers to the destination starting on July 1.

Read...
New Zealand Drops COVID-19 Test Requirement Ahead of Schedule
New Zealand Drops COVID-19 Test Requirement Ahead of Schedule

"The challenges pre-departure tests pose to visitors are now no longer outweighed by the public health benefits," New Zealand said this week. 

Read...
What to Know About Travel to Antigua and Barbuda Now
What to Know About Travel to Antigua and Barbuda Now

Advisors talking to TMR said that Antigua’s relaxed COVID protocols, and news from the U.S., could result in major arrivals spike. 

Read...
Yellowstone National Park’s South Loop Reopens After Storm Damage
Yellowstone National Park’s South Loop Reopens After Storm Damage

Even with the reopening, not all visitors will be allowed in. 

Read...
At Four Years Old, Swoop’s Low Cost Expansion Picks Up Steam
At Four Years Old, Swoop’s Low Cost Expansion Picks Up Steam

It’s been an impressive start in the life of Swoop, the ultra-low-cost carrier owned by Westjet and headquartered in Calgary.

Read...
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Is Now Ahead of 2019 Numbers
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Is Now Ahead of 2019 Numbers

The CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Colin C. James, spoke to TMR recently about how tourism has been trending on the islands.

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
Distribution Outlook (1)
New to Cruise Outlook
Expedition 2020
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/QTPIinGDcIY/0.jpg
Video: Can Booking Bachelor and Bachelorette Party Groups Be Profitable for Advisors?
About Travel Market Report Mission Editorial Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News|Leisure Travel|Land Vacations|Cruise|Canada Retail Strategies|Well-Being|Luxury|Training
© 2005 - 2022 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy