Japan has a population of 127 million and is the third-largest economy in the world, with a national GDP of USD 4.2 trillion. Japan's outbound travel market is currently flat at 17 million outbound passengers per year, but it is projected by the Japan Association of Travel Agents to increase to 20 million by 2010. Japanese travellers remain among the world's biggest spenders per person during their travels, making the Japanese market of critical importance for North American, Asian, and European destinations seeking a high-spend/high-value visitor.
The Japanese travel market is highly fragmented with over 800 wholesale tour operators and more than 8,200 travel agencies (agency networks, business travel, online travel, etc.) throughout the nation. Many Japanese agencies create and sell their own packages to cater to niche markets and special interests which are particular to Japan.
