Spanish travelers’ demand for Japan spikes driven by the direct flights launch
Japan is becoming one of the fastest-growing destinations booked by Spanish travel agents in 2024. According to RateHawk, an online B2B platform for booking hotels, air tickets, and transfers, the number of accommodation bookings in Japan for October-December 2024 increased six-fold compared to the same period last year. The rising demand coincides with the launch of three weekly direct flights between Madrid and Tokyo 3 times a week, scheduled for October 27 by Iberia carrier. The route has not operated since 2020, when it was suspended due to the COVID-19 crisis.
“At RateHawk, we have been noticing the rising demand for Japanese destinations long before the news about the launch of direct flights.However, we see a sharp increase in hotel bookings immediately after the direct line’s planned launch. The peak demand is witnessed in November, with a record 10-fold growth in bookings compared to the previous year. Remarkably, the average booking window in these bookings is six months, which is well above the average booking window on our platform”, commented Head of Business Development Iberia, Samia Lahlou.
The launch of flights has not only caused a lift in hotel bookings in Tokyo, but other Japanese cities are experiencing a major demand increase this fall. According to RateHawk, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Takayama and Kanazawa lead the list of top Japanese destinations. The number of bookings in Kanazawa, Tokyo and Kyoto witnessed a 6-fold growth, Takayama’s number of bookings increased by 7 times, while Osaka saw the biggest (x10) year-over year growth.
“The country has a lot to offer, from its rich cultural heritage, to natural beauties, and a modern urban environment. Due to the well-developed railway network, travelers usually combine visiting several Japanese cities within one trip”, - commented Samia Lahlou.
“We provide travel agents with access to more than 38,000 accommodation options across Japan, in both large metropolitan cities and small towns, thus enabling our partners to meet the needs of any client, whether traveling for business or leisure purposes. Besides standard international hotel chains we offer traditional Japanese inns called “Ryokan” on our platform, allowing travelers to deeply immerse themselves in Japanese culture," continues Samia Lahlou.
The average daily rate (ADR) for Japanese accommodations in October-December is €144, which is a 13% decrease compared to the previous year. Around 50% of bookings are made in 3-star hotels (ADR €122), while 4-star hotels follow with a 20% share (ADR €189).
The average length of stay is 2 nights, while the longest stays are booked in Kyoto and Urayasu - for 5 days, as well as Tokyo - for 4 nights.