JTB Collaborates with JR East and JAL on Regional Future Creation Strategy to Promote Multi-Modal Tourism in East Japan Area

East Japan Railway Company (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Yoichi Kise; hereinafter "JR East"), Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Mitsuko Tottori; hereinafter "JAL"), and JTB Corp. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President Executive Officer: Eijiro Yamakita; hereinafter "JTB") will promote multi-modal tourism*1 in the East Japan area through a three-company collaboration. JR East and JAL are committed to regional revitalization and solving social issues through collaboration with various partners, based on their "Regional Future Creation Strategy" under the "Agreement on Strengthening Collaboration for Regional Revitalization in the East Japan Area"*2. To realize multi-modal tourism combining railways and aviation, they will leverage JTB's strengths in creating interaction and its nationwide customer acquisition and sending capabilities to strongly promote the "creation of wide-area tourism models." Under the three-company collaboration, they will contribute to the revitalization of the regional economy and the future of the tourism industry by developing products that seamlessly connect land, air, and local experiences, and by creating attractive destinations in cooperation with local communities. *1: What is multi-modal tourism? It is a new travel style that combines multiple modes of transportation, such as railways (Shinkansen, etc.) and aviation, to create an itinerary. By combining multiple modes of transportation in a multi-modal way, the aim is to achieve more flexible wide-area travel. *2: JR East and JAL Conclude Agreement on Strengthening Collaboration for Regional Revitalization in the East Japan Area (https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2025/20260206_ho02.pdf) 1. Objectives of the Three-Company Collaboration (1) The three companies will combine their respective strengths and networks in railways, aviation, and interaction creation to establish a new tourism model that promotes wide-area travel in the East Japan area, including Tohoku. By seamlessly connecting land, air, and local experiences, they will create "new travel and experience value." (2) They will refine diverse regional resources such as traditional culture, food, and nature, and create attractive tourism content and experience programs. (3) For sustainable visitor attraction and sending, they will deepen collaboration with local governments and related businesses, aiming to expand the exchange population and related population through the creation of human flow and extended stays, thereby contributing to the sustainability improvement of the tourism industry and the revitalization of the regional economy. 2. Specific Initiatives for Promoting Multi-Modal Tourism By expanding travel options that combine aviation and railways, the aim is to promote wide-area travel in the East Japan area. For example, travelers can leisurely head to their destination while exploring the region on the outbound journey, and then spend as much time as possible at the destination before returning home quickly by plane on the inbound journey, allowing for diverse ways of spending time. By proposing diverse travel styles, they aim to promote visits to the region, extend stays, and create travel value that allows for a deeper experience of the region's charm. (1) Sales of Travel Products for Promoting Multi-Modal Tourism To verify diverse needs such as travel experiences and touring intentions of customers in the Tokyo metropolitan area, JTB's metropolitan area*3 stores will sell products from the Tokyo metropolitan area to the East Japan area, customized as "railway + aviation" multi-modal tourism packages, between April and September 2026. Customers can choose between railway or aviation for their outbound and inbound journeys according to their needs. A campaign will also be implemented to distribute travel coupons for advantageous purchases of products. Please check with eligible JTB stores for details on application requirements. *3: Stores in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama (excluding comprehensive partner stores and some other stores) (2) "Creating Attractive Destinations" - Initiatives for Content Enhancement They will promote collaboration with community-based tourism and themed tourism content, content development utilizing JTB's "power to create interaction," and the use of content developed through each company's regional co-creation initiatives. Furthermore, they will widely disseminate the charm of the East Japan area both domestically and internationally through domestic tourism campaigns and international networks, aiming to promote visitor attraction. They will also strengthen inbound tourism by planning and proposing inbound products incorporating the developed content. ① "Fukushima Destination Campaign" x "Japan's Season Tohoku" By collaborating with the JR Group Destination Campaign "Shiawase no Kaze Fukushima"*4, held at the 15-year milestone since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the JTB Group domestic travel campaign "Japan's Season*5 Tohoku," they aim to promote visitor attraction to the Tohoku area and expand wide-area travel. *4: "Shiawase no Kaze Fukushima" Fukushima Destination Campaign (https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2025/20260206_ho01.pdf) *5: What is JTB "Japan's Season"? It is a JTB Group campaign implemented since 1998 with the theme of "rediscovering the charm of Japan," aiming to unearth the "seasonal" charms of various regions, guide more people through travel, and contribute to the revitalization of domestic tourist destinations by allowing them to experience the local charm. ② "Tohoku Reconstruction Tourism" x "Michinoku Coastal Trail" To promote Tohoku Reconstruction Tourism, they aim to deepen local experience content and attract educational and corporate training trips. As a community-rooted initiative, they will cooperate with the certified NPO Michinoku Trail Club to disseminate the charm of the coastal area, using the "Michinoku Coastal Trail" as a hook. ③ Spiritual Tourism Dewa Sanzan (Three Mountains of Dewa) is gaining popularity among inbound tourists as a deep tourist destination where visitors can experience religious culture harmonized with nature, such as traditional Japanese mountain worship, and a "reincarnation" experience. They will work with local communities to propose new travel styles. (3) Promotion They will widely disseminate the charm of the region both domestically and internationally. From March 2026, promotions utilizing digital advertising at three airports – Haneda, Itami, and Kansai International – are also being broadcast to domestic and international customers. ① Airports/Locations for Broadcast ② Broadcast Period Phase 1: Late March 2026 (currently broadcasting) - Late April *Phase 2 is planned for May and beyond. ③ Broadcast Content ・Promotion appealing to cherry blossoms in the East Japan area (Aomori, Akita, Fukushima prefectures, etc.) ・Promotion to stimulate multi-modal tourism travel styles.