Japan Convention Bureau is drumming up attention on more of its destinations for international incentive travel programmes, with the hope of bringing reward winners a more diversified experience and driving tourism earnings to more local communities.
One of its latest initiative is a refresh of its website content, which presents sample itineraries to Japanese regions that are off the popular Golden Route comprising Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
Ayako Itagaki, director of Japan Convention Bureau, shared with TTGmice that the new set of sample itineraries inspire incentive trips to Hokkaido, where natural attractions dominate; to the Seto Inland Sea, where scenic islands and charming coastal locations take centre stage; to North-eastern Japan, where the prefectures of Miyagi and Yamagata unveil samurai heritage, spiritual landscapes, and delicate local cuisine; and more.
Additionally, to convey the vast possibilities of destination discoveries to more incentive travel planners across Asia-Pacific, Japan Convention Bureau is leading an eight-city roadshow starting this August. The series will call at cities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul and Manila.
Itagaki said planning for this roadshow is still underway, but the intention is to feature “hidden gems and local charming areas” that are ready to welcome corporate events.
Japan Convention Bureau is also hoping to raise awareness of more destinations and off-the-beaten-track experiences through its participation at IMEX 2026 this week. Chiba, Sendai, Yokohama and Kobe are represented at the Japan pavilion, along with Unique Venues of Japan, which offers one-stop support for event planners in search of memorable locations.
But with Japan fast becoming a familiar destination for leisure – it achieved a record-breaking 42.7 million international visitors in 2025, Itagaki acknowledged that additional support must be given to help incentive travel planners craft more creative programmes that top achievers could not access on their own as regular travellers.
She said Japan Convention Bureau is compiling a collection of 40 to 50 exclusive experiences available across Japan and providing useful connections between incentive travel planners and local operators to bring ideas to life.
To differentiate from leisure travel experiences, Kaori Saito, general manager at Hankyu Travel International, said incentive travel programmes should find a creative edge by utilising unique venues, featuring special restaurants, and weaving in local events. While additional journeys may be needed to bring top achievers deeper into Japan, she said chartering special thematic trains could turn the commute into a memorable experience.
