Tokyo, Japan, September 30, 2022 - JTB Global Marketing & Travel, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shinya Kurosawa; hereinafter "JTBGMT"), a JTB Group company specializing in inbound travel, has revamped and relaunched its signature product "SUNRISE TOURS※1" that had been mostly suspended due to COVID-19, and will simultaneously launch a full range of new products for 2023 from October 18.

The most notable tour in the new lineup is the "Rainbow Route to Tokyo, Kanazawa, and Kyoto" tour newly set up in advance of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension between Kanazawa and Tsuruga stations around March 2024. With the sale of these new tours, a total of 261 tour lineups will be available, including conventional tours with Shinkansen and sightseeing tours in various regions, which have been on sale ahead of time. JTBGMT also offers a wide range of products related to sustainable tourism, such as carbon offset plans incorporated into our bus tours.
※1 "SUNRISE TOURS" is a registered trademark of JTBGMT.

New Tour Highlights for 2023

1.　The new "Rainbow Route to Tokyo, Kanazawa, and Kyoto" for international visitors.
Ahead of the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Kanazawa and Tsuruga stations around March 2024, we have planned a new inbound route "Rainbow Route to Tokyo, Kanazawa, and Kyoto" product that travels round trip from Tokyo area to Kansai area (Kyoto/Osaka) via Hokuriku area (Kanazawa). This route is highly anticipated with regard to the creation of inbound tourism flow to the Hokuriku area and the development of the tourism economy in the Hokuriku region.

2.　Small-group "hands-on, private tours" to meet the demands of the times.
For repeat visitors to Japan, we will launch small-group "experience-type private tours" with a focus on experiential consumption. Specifically, "adventure tourism" products that incorporate "activities," "nature,"
and "cultural experiences," which have become increasingly popular in recent years, are one example. In November, we also plan to release "Countryside Stays" plans that incorporate agricultural experiences, traditional crafts, interaction with local people, and accommodations in traditional Japanese-style houses.


Resumption of Tours departing from October

Upon the announcement that Japan will accept independent travelers from October 11, SUNRISE TOURS will resume operation of tours from October to December 2022. At first, we will welcome our customers who have been looking forward to visiting Japan with 7 popular one-day tours and 4 excursion-type tours, which are appropriate for the early period of re-opening of visits to Japan.

■Mt. Fuji & Hakone Tour
The most favored tour by visitors to Japan. We respond to a variety of requests, including plans that include overnight stays in Hakone, vegetarian and Muslim-friendly meals, multilingual audio guides, and more.

■Kyoto and Nara Tour
We offer half-day and full-day sightseeing tours to popular sightseeing spots in Kyoto and/or Nara for international visitors. We guarantee operation from a minimum of 1 person on this tour, so that you can enjoy the charms of the ancient capital of Kyoto/Nara.

■Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour
This course provides an efficient tour of Hiroshima, which is attracting attention from overseas as the host city of the G7 Summit in 2023, and popular spots on Miyajima, ideal for first-time visitors. Three tours to/from Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima are available.


Our commitment to Sustainable Tourism Initiative

We acquired the highest level of certification for sustainable tourism, offering a wide range of sustainable products to meet current trends in the world.

In March 2022, JTBGMT received the highest level of certification for sustainable tourism, Travelife Certified, from the international third-party certifier Travelife※2. This certification is based on an audit of sustainable tourism and recognizes compliance with more than 200 criteria, including environmental conservation efforts and social contributions.
In addition to acquiring Travelife Certified as a company, SUNRISE TOURS is also the first tour brand in Japan to receive the highest level of certification. Based on these efforts, the product lineup to be announced this time includes new products that take the following 3 categories into consideration. We will continue to promote our commitment to sustainable tourism.

※2 Travelife is one of the organizations whose certification standards are recognized as compliant with the international standards of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). More than 40 national travel associations, including 20 European travel associations and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), encourage their members to join the program.

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▶3 Categories of Our Sustainable Commitment and examples
◆ Environment (Eco) Friendly:
　・Reducing CO2 emissions through carbon offset plans, or using EV vehicles, etc.
　　Example: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Tour etc.
◆ Cross-cultural Understanding
　・Including interaction with local people, culture, nature, and history.
　・Experiences in traditional houses where you can enjoy locally produced foods.
◆ Social Contribution
　・Donating a portion of the tour price to local governments or social programs.
　・Supporting the production and distribution of specialty products.
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Our Initiatives as a Product Provider

As a product provider, JTBGMT will propose to travel agencies planning and operating inbound organized tours to Japan to incorporate SUNRISE TOURS as part of their products as content.

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▶Benefits of incorporating SUNRISE TOURS
1. To eliminate risk of unprofitability
In the first year of the reopening of inbound travel to Japan, the number of participants in bus tours is expected to be lower than pre-Covid 19 pandemic levels. Until now, each travel agency has been responsible for the risk of unprofitability due to insufficient number of participants when selling guaranteed tours. With SUNRISE TOURS, however, JTBGMT guarantees the operation of the tour, allowing each company to create and sell products without worrying about the risk of insufficient numbers.

2. To enable a variety of product settings by combining SUNRISE TOURS
By considering SUNRISE TOURS as a means of transportation between destinations and freely combining it with other itineraries, a wide variety of product configurations will be possible.
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What is SUNRISE TOURS?

As Japan's first package tour for international visitors to Japan, SUNRISE TOURS has welcomed a total of more than 8 million guests since its launch in 1964.While the SUNRISE TOURS had to be suspended for about two years due to entry restrictions following the spread of Covid-19, we have been preparing for the resumption of tours with a renewed concept so that we can welcome our guests as soon as possible when they resume their travel to Japan. In June 2022, in response to the partial acceptance of international visitors, JTBGMT promptly planned and sold the "Guided SUNRISE TOURS package (departing between July and October 2022)" in compliance with the "Guidelines for Acceptance of Overseas Tourists."

■SUNRISE TOURS Information
≫　Tour Information for Travel Agents https://www.jtbgmt.com/en/g-web/
≫　Booking Website for customers https://www.sunrise-tours.jp/en
≫　Promotion Video https://youtu.be/hlDmComlGdA
≫　Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sunrisetoursjtb/
≫　Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sunrisetours_with_gymmty/

JTBGMT will continue to aim for "sustainable tourism" and will continue to present its efforts in the form of tourism content. JTBGMT will continue to provide solutions for the promotion of SDGs in the tourism industry as a whole, and contribute to both creating empathy and attracting visitors. As a product provider, JTBGMT will contribute to the further expansion of the inbound market in Japan in cooperation with travel agencies.

We stand tall as a company that takes responsibility for a sustainable society, and we will continue to create new encounters so that people around the world can enjoy meaningful interactions safely and securely with smiles on their faces.