World Expo in Osaka: Countries are courting the Japanese people's desire to travel!

World Expo in Osaka: Countries are courting the Japanese people's desire to travel!

With the aim of stimulating the Japanese population's desire to travel, more and more countries and regions are using the upcoming Expo in Osaka as a platform to promote travel abroad. This initiative comes at a time when demand for international travel has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The Japanese Association of Travel Agents (JATA) recently warned of the potential long-term impact on inbound tourism due to changing travel habits.

The expo, scheduled to take place in Osaka in 2025, aims to attract a total of 28.2 million visitors. But the challenges are great. A significant problem is that many potential international visitors are not informed about the exact dates and content of the event, which leads to low enthusiasm. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition is under pressure to improve communication and awareness of the expo. Meanwhile, only around 13 million Japanese traveled abroad in 2024, less than 70% of 2019 levels.

Variety of pavilions

The Expo's pavilions are increasingly focusing on cultural experiences and culinary offerings to increase the interest of Japanese tourists. An outstanding example is the Canadian Pavilion, which opened a café owned by Air Canada in mid-May. Here the focus is on the national dish “poutine”, consisting of French fries, cheese and gravy. Videos of Canadian landmarks will also be presented, and Air Canada has started seasonal flights between Kansai and Vancouver earlier than last year.

The Turkish pavilion, on the other hand, offers a wealth of information about cultural sites such as Göbekli Tepe and the opportunity to try out business class seats on a Turkish airline. In 2024, around 130,000 Japanese visited Turkey, with the ambitious goal of increasing this number to 500,000 to 1 million travelers annually.

Economic considerations

The weak yen and high prices in many destination countries are having a significant impact on Japanese people's travel decisions. According to current estimates, the share of Japanese passport holders fell to 17.5%, a decline of about 6 percentage points over the past five years. This reduction outlines the economic reasons why interest in the Expo is significant both within and outside the country.

The Expo could also provide an important opportunity for young people to come into contact with different cultures. Experts see the event as an opportunity to use the “expo effect” and sustainably promote the desire to travel during the upcoming summer holiday season. In the period leading up to the Expo, there will be an increasing number of business meetings between international tourism organizations and Japanese tour operators.

Public initiatives and challenges

The Japanese government and local authorities have taken various measures to attract visitors. In the Kansai region, free invitations for children to attend the expo are being offered, and Osaka Metro is planning special "child-to-child" trains to carry up to 12,000 students daily. Despite these efforts, over 30% of schools in Osaka have not yet made a decision about participating in this program.

The sensational expo event will take place on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay. A variety of innovations will be on display there, including robots to guide visitors and autonomous buses to transport between pavilions. While preparing for the Expo, the expected total cost for the venues is estimated at about 125 billion yen, while the subway expansion could cost an additional 73 billion yen.

To raise awareness of the expo, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition has launched an official tourism portal, and the government is using social media to promote it, including by introducing the mascot “Myaku Myaku.” Still, organizers expect that only about 12% of targeted visitors will be international, which still presents challenges for organizers that need to be addressed throughout the expo.