Japan has a population of 127 million and is the third-largest economy in the world, with a national GDP of USD 5.5 trillion. Japan's outbound travel market has shown its resilience with just a modest decrease following the Great East Japan Earthquake, rebounding to positive territory in July 2011. The Japanese 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 nearly 800 wholesale tour operators and more than 10,280 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.
