The environment surrounding the travel industry is changing year by year, but what will 2025 be like? Let’s make some predictions based on popular articles from 2024.
Firstly, looking back at 2024, it’s deeply regrettable that news of accidents stands out. Safety should always be the top priority, no matter the situation.
In the travel industry, the collision accident between Japan Airlines (JAL) and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft at the beginning of the year was a major news, but in TRAICY’s ranking, an incident where a train on the Tohoku Shinkansen line separated while running took the top spot for most views.
Such irregular incidents inevitably impact many travelers. It highlighted the need for transportation services to be more proactive and provide accurate and useful information during emergencies.
In 2024, one major buzz in the travel industry was about ‘sales.’ With various government-led initiatives like ‘Go To Travel,’ ‘Residents Discount,’ and ‘National Travel Support’ mostly ending, we’re entering what could be called the ‘post-after Corona’ era.
Before Corona, ‘sales’ meant LCCs. The image of selling air tickets at incredibly low prices, such as a few yen, tens of yen, or hundreds of yen, was strong. However, post-pandemic, the situation has changed, and full-service carriers (FSCs) have come to the forefront with sales.
There are mainly two reasons for this shift. One is that LCCs have stopped offering such drastic sales. LCC sales were often promotional efforts that disregarded cost to create buzz. However, post-pandemic, LCC routes have concentrated on high-revenue routes, leading them to compete with FSCs based on price.
Another reason is that sales by All Nippon Airways (ANA) and JAL during the pandemic have become standard. The two major domestic airlines frequently offering sales on domestic flights has ingrained the concept of ‘sales’ not only among LCC users.
This trend of standardized ‘sales’ is spreading to other airlines and JR, making it a powerful means of stimulating demand post-pandemic and creating regular travel topics.
And these sales are mostly not applicable to inbound visitors but aimed at residents of Japan, indicating where the opportunities lie for more affordable travels.
There’s More to Affordable Travel Than Just ‘Sales’
ANA is promoting ‘Tokutabi Miles,’ which offer a lower rate for domestic award tickets, while JAL is promoting ‘Anywhere Miles,’ which allows travel to randomly chosen destinations for a more affordable number of miles. Most holders of these miles reside in Japan, making these offers largely inaccessible to inbound travelers.
JR has also introduced the ability to exchange points for train tickets and other benefits, such as JR East’s JRE POINT, JR West’s WESTER Point, and JR Kyushu’s JR Coupon. Particularly, JR East is strengthening its capture of domestic users with offers like ‘Dokoka ni Vroom!’—JR’s version of ‘Anywhere Miles’—and JRE BANK’s initiative to reduce train fares by up to 40%.
How to utilize these inbound-challenging offers will be key in the future.
Hotels & Expo Boom: ‘Deals’ May Be Hard to Find Domestically
For those wanting to travel affordably, hotels may offer little relief.
The increasing number of inbound tourists has been a boon for the hotel industry. With 2025 being the Osaka-Kansai Expo year, hotel pricing is likely to become even more aggressive. While a hotel article did make it into the rankings, 2025 may be a challenging year for securing deals on accommodations.
One travel spot news made the ranking. The ‘Observation Deck’ of the newly hot Azabudai Hills made headlines. Initially not aimed at tourists, it became a trend after opening. From personal experience, hidden travel spots, not just for inbound but also unknown to many locals, offer the most enjoyment.
The concept of ‘hidden’ is profoundly deep. This year, the Osaka-Kansai Expo is expected to strongly support the travel industry. Among inbound initiatives, there should be ‘hidden’ strategies accessible to domestic users, tapping into which will be essential for smart and affordable travels. Don’t miss out on becoming a savvy traveler by following our updates in 2025.
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This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
