News Release

TOKYO (July 29, 2026) — Brand USA, the official tourism marketing organization for the United States, held its annual Sales Mission in Tokyo on July 23 and 24. Bringing together a record-breaking 36 U.S. organizations represented by 48 delegates — including destinations, attractions, and travel partners — the mission marked the largest delegation in the program's history, surpassing last year's 28 organizations represented by 35 delegates. Over the two-day program, the mission facilitated over 800 one-on-one business meetings with key members of Japan's travel industry, including tour operators, travel agencies, and OTAs, and offered targeted educational sessions to further engage and inform the market. This year's delegation also welcomed several U.S. organizations participating in the Sales Mission for the first time reflecting the growing interest in promoting a broader range of U.S. destinations to the Japanese market. Brand USA‘s largest-ever Japan mission took place as its President and CEO Fred Dixon traveled to the market last week, coinciding with his two-year anniversary with the nation’s destination marketing organization. 

“This year’s record delegation reflects an extraordinary turnaround in the Japanese market,” said Fred Dixon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Brand USA. “Japan has climbed from the #11 overseas market in 2022 to #3 in 2025, and we expect it to overtake India in 2026 to become our second-largest overseas market, trailing only the United Kingdom. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident — it’s the product of sustained investment in this relationship, and it’s reflected in the confidence our partners showed by turning out here in record numbers this week. We’re going to keep building on that momentum.” 

Over the course of the two-day program, the Brand USA Sales Mission deepened industry relationships and opened doors to new partnership opportunities between the United States and Japan. A full schedule of B2B meetings with tour operators underscored the strategic importance of the Japanese market, while educational sessions engaged and trained nearly 100 travel professionals.

Delegates attending this Sales Mission included:

• Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (new)
• Choose Chicago
• Colorado Office of Tourism
• Destination DC
• Disney Destinations International
• EVA Air (new)
• Experience Kissimmee
• Explore Fairbanks
• Hertz
• Highgate Hotels (new)
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
• Marianas Visitors Authority (new)
• Maverick Helicopters
• Montana Office of Tourism
• Orlando International Airport
• Papillion Helicopters (new)
• Sheridan County Travel & Tourism
• Sphere (new)
• Sports Where I Am (new)
• TaxFree Shopping Ltd.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (new)
• The Cupertino Hotel, The Grand Hotel & Vidovich Vineyards - Silicon Valley
• Travel Oregon
• Travel Portland
• Travel Texas
• Utah Office of Tourism
• Vacatia (new)
• Visit Austin
• Visit California
• Visit Orlando
• Visit Pasadena
• Visit Salt Lake
• Visit Seattle
• Visit Yosemite | Madera County (new)
• Wyoming Office of Tourism

This mission exemplifies Brand USA’s dedication to advancing a bold, forward-looking strategy for inbound tourism. By drawing on market intelligence and established partnerships, it aims to unlock new potential and strengthen ties with Japan’s travel trade.

In addition to the Japan Sales Mission conducted in Tokyo, an additional day was held today in Osaka to further engage the regional travel trade. The program included a training session for nearly 30 travel agents at HIS Osaka, along with an interactive “America the Beautiful” game session showcasing U.S. destinations and experiences to over 40 professionals.

Japan Market Overview

Japan is the #3 overseas market for U.S. inbound travel, with 2.0 million arrivals in 2025, representing a 4.7% share of total U.S. arrivals. The United States is the #1 long-haul destination for Japanese travelers and ranks #3 overall among outbound destinations from Japan, capturing a 9.6% share of Japan’s outbound market in 2025. Japan is one of the fastest-growing overseas markets in 2026: year-to-date arrivals through May are up 5% — even as many major markets decline — marking 18 consecutive months of year-over-year growth, with leisure arrivals up 7% and business arrivals up 1%. Having climbed from the #11 overseas market in 2022 to #3 in 2025, Japan is projected to overtake India in 2026 to become the second-largest overseas market behind the United Kingdom, with visitation expected to approach 3 million by 2030 — still below the 1997 record of 5.4 million. Non-stop seat capacity from Japan to the U.S. stands at 6.2 million seats in 2026 across 35 non-stop routes, with California, Hawaii, and New York leading in inbound seat capacity. Leisure travelers from Japan spend an average of $2,241 per trip (excluding airfare), while business travelers spend $6,870; Japan ranks 3rd among overseas markets for total business travel spending ($2.2 billion in 2025) and 9th for leisure spending ($3.3 billion). A weak yen, down 12% year-over-year, remains a headwind for Japanese travelers considering international trips. California, Hawaii, New York, Nevada, and Florida remain the top five U.S. states visited by Japanese travelers.

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