As part of its responsibility as a Destination Management Company (DMC), the JTB Group plays an active role in tourism management in all 47 prefectures across Japan. In our overseas markets, we consciously strive to contribute to sustainable local tourism development.
Our extensive network of relationships with local businesses, schools and government agencies enables us to develop dynamic partnerships to support sustainable community development through a wide range of initiatives in and beyond the travel and tourism sector.

Key Initiatives

Supporting Sustainable Local Development
Harnessing its century-plus-long legacy of 'bringing people, places and possibilities together', the JTB Group actively supports SDGs Future Cities, carbon-free zones and numerous other public, private and public-private initiatives aimed at promoting the environmental, cultural and socioeconomic health and sustainability of local communities.

JTB Brighter Earth Project

In Japan and around the world, the JTB Brighter Earth Project brings JTB customers and employees together with local residents to participate in environmental cleanup drives, conservation efforts and other hands-on projects aimed at creating a Brighter Earth through the cultivation of a deeper appreciation of local culture, history and ecology.* Initially inaugurated in 1982 as the Tourist Destination Cleanup Campaign, the program was renamed in 2012 to commemorate JTB's centennial anniversary.
Officially recognized in 2014 as a UNDB-J Collaborative Initiative, the Brighter Earth Project has enjoyed the participation of more than 130,000 people worldwide since 1985.

Promoting 'Buy Local'
The JTB Group's 'Master Chef Spot Consulting Service' offers local governments and agricultural producers the opportunity to tap into valuable input from Japan's leading culinary masters and food experts.
Through this service, communities learn how to identify local gastronomic 'treasures' and incorporate a visitor perspective into their agriculture and tourism development efforts in order to create enhanced destination allure.

Sustainable Development through Food & Agriculture
The JTB Group's School of Culinary Arts & Agriculture features a progressive curriculum aimed at fostering synergies between local agriculture, dining and tourism in order to create new energy and dynamism. The School seeks to cultivate and inspire 'food visionaries and leaders' capable of working with local community businesses and stakeholders to promote sustainable agriculture, dining and hospitality industry collaboration.

Tourism as a Problem-Solving Vehicle

In the Yatsugatake area of Japan's Yamanashi Prefecture, where abandoned agricultural land has become an increasingly thorny issue for local residents, the JTB Group's 'AgriCation' program offers an out-of-the-box solution.
By making abandoned local farmland available for cultivation by educational institutions, 'AgriCation' provides opportunities for hands-on agricultural experience while generating new revenue streams for the community and greater diversification in the agricultural sector.

Adding Value to Local Artisanry

SANUKI ReMIX, held annually in the Takamatsu region of Japan's Kagawa Prefecture, brings together traditional local artisanry and leading creative talent from across Japan to reimagine traditional Takamatsu hand-crafted specialty items such as Sanuki Wooden Barrels, Bonsai, and Marugame Fans.
Through the SANUKI ReMIX initiative, JTB is helping to inspire a new generation of craftspeople, create new destination allure for the Takamatsu area, and promote local socioeconomic sustainability.

The JTB Group continues to build on its 110 year history of creating connections and possibilities.
hrough its Rurubu collection of travel publications and websites, JTB is an established travel and tourism trendsetter, showcasing the places to be and things to do, see and eat across Japan and overseas.
In addition, through a wide range of complementary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, we continue to create a culture of connections, inspiring people to explore, wonder, travel and learn.
Although the pandemic has drastically redefined how we work and play, the JTB Group remains committed to pioneering new ways of carrying out its organizational mission and making a positive contribution in this new era.

Key Initiatives

When the pandemic caused a drastic curtailment in the demand for travel and travel publications, JTB responded by making hundreds of its Rurubu publications available to the public free of charge. We also made some unique additions to the Rurubu lineup in order to give travel afficionados new opportunities to feed their imaginations and curiosity from the safety and comfort of home.

e-Rurubu... At No Cost

For a limited time, JTB Publishing (the JTB Group's travel and lifestyle information publishing arm) offered downloadable electronic versions of 'The Rurubu Johoban' to the public free of charge. These acclaimed publications pack a wealth of curated information on a wide range of domestic and international travel destinations.
Amidst school closures and stay-at-home orders necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of these free copies of The Rurubu Johoban gave families and travel lovers the opportunity to:
・Use their imaginations to travel the world
・Learn about the wonders of the world as well as regional delicacies and specialty items, etc.
・Create inspired post-COVID travel plans

Rurubu Universe

In a radical departure from its traditional focus on 'terrestrial' destinations, JTB Publishing unveiled its first-ever 'Guidebook to the Universe'.
As COVID-19 thwarted travel plans across the planet, the Rurubu editing team got busy rolling up their sleeves to tackle the vast, largely unexplored realm of outer space. They developed The Guidebook to the Universe, a unique travel guide that puts the universe at the fingertips of the reader by showcasing the latest developments in space exploration and travel.
Using Rurubu's signature visual presentation, the Guidebook pushes the envelope of travel, featuring 'places to be' and 'things to see' across the solar system, space food available for purchase right here on Earth, and exhaustive information on space-related attractions such as the JAXA Space Center.

Walking the Streets of the World
As soon as COVID-19 brought the world to a virtual standstill, JTB Group personnel stationed outside of Japan quickly got to work uploading travel videos on Twitter to connect would-be-travelers with life on the ground. This 'grass-roots' initiative quickly evolved into a dynamic collection of virtual tours offering viewers a chance to enjoy a taste of overseas travel on demand and to be a part of an emerging community of virtual travelers.

'Let's Talk Travel'

Launched in 1983 to commemorate JTB's 70th anniversary, the JTB Travel and Culture Lectures have been captivating and inspiring audiences for decades.
As part of JTB's ongoing commitment to culture and the arts, this original lecture series has given hundreds of prominent national and international figures the opportunity to share their unique perspectives on travel and the human experience.
In March 2022, JTB was honored to present globally renowned journalist Morley Robertson, who shared his reflections on 'Harmony in an Age of Transformation'. The presentation was held in an online COVID-safe format. In 2020, JTB Travel and Culture Lectures were honored with the prestigious 'This is MECENAT' certification in recognition of the program's longstanding contribution to the promotion of culture and the arts.

JTB Mori No Nigiwai

Mori no Nigiwai (The Buzz in the Woods) is a signature JTB event offering travelers the opportunity to experience the rich heritage of Japan's backlands and byways through cultural extravaganzas that showcase local festivals, cultural traditions and arts. JTB works closely with local governments and visitor bureaus to achieve regional revitalization goals through these celebrations of culture.
Since 1982, Mori no Nigiwai events have stimulated demand for regional tourism across Japan.
The program was launched to commemorate the 70th anniversary of JTB and the 25th anniversary of the Federation of Ryokans Affiliated with Japan Travel Bureau (now known as the JTB-Affiliated Ryokans & Hotels Federation). Although initially created as a vehicle for showcasing domestic travel content, Mori no Nigiwai has evolved over the years into much more. Through robust partnering with local government agencies and tourism bureaus, Mori no Nigiwai productions have steadily expanded in scope, evolving into large-scale stage extravaganzas that promote traditional local culture, provide much-needed support for young artists, and bring fresh energy to local communities across the country.

Change for Good: A UNICEF Partnership

In collaboration with the Japan Committee for UNICEF, the JTB organization is a proud participant in UNICEF's 'Change for Good' partnership. Through donation boxes at JTB locations across Japan, travelers donate leftover foreign coins and banknotes to benefit vulnerable children around the world. The JTB Group is also involved in a number of other activities aimed at advancing social and cultural development.