Club Tourism Supports Creation of Manual for Travel Agencies in Japan Tourism Agency's "Universal Tourism Promotion Project"

Club Tourism Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Koto-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Hiroshi Sakai; hereinafter "Club Tourism") was entrusted with the task of creating a manual for travel agencies as part of the "Survey Project on Environmental Improvement for the Promotion of Universal Tourism" implemented by the Japan Tourism Agency. In April 2026, the "Manual for Travel Agency Product Development and Sales Staff: Universal Tourism Product Development and Sales Manual," which our company supported in creating by leveraging its accumulated expertise, was published by the Japan Tourism Agency. This manual serves as a practical guideline for travel agency staff to smoothly develop and sell products compliant with universal tourism principles. ■ Details of "Manual for Universal Tourism Product Development and Sales" (Japan Tourism Agency website) 　　https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/content/001997278.pdf Currently, Japan's domestic travel market is facing a major phase of population decline. On the other hand, stimulating travel demand from the elderly and people with disabilities, who are expected to increase further in the future, and developing an environment where diverse travelers can enjoy traveling with peace of mind, are urgent issues for expanding new exchange markets. In light of these circumstances, the Japan Tourism Agency is accelerating the dissemination and promotion of universal tourism, aiming to realize an environment where all people, regardless of age or disability, can enjoy traveling with peace of mind. However, in the actual travel business, the lack of specific know-how for universal tourism and the undeveloped guidelines for product development were identified as challenges. There was a strong demand for a systematic manual tailored to practical operations to enable travel agencies to confidently provide services. ■ Manual Overview ・Necessity of Universal Tourism ・Points to note when developing universal tourism products ・Know-how for each product development process ・Sales and expansion possibilities of universal tourism products Universal tourism initiatives can be realized not by segregating products as special, but by viewing them as an extension of existing operations and carefully listening to and adjusting to various "difficulties" encountered during travel. This manual is based on the fundamental idea of "seeing people, not disabilities." It was created from the perspective that the role of travel agencies is to create an environment where each participant can enjoy their trip with peace of mind. Furthermore, in each process from travel product planning to implementation, this manual systematically compiles "practical knowledge" that on-site staff can utilize in their daily work, thereby encouraging the promotion of universal tourism in travel agencies. We expect this manual to contribute to promoting understanding and practice of universal tourism among travel agencies, leading to an improvement in the acceptance environment across the entire tourism industry. Universal Tourism Promotion Project (Japan Tourism Agency website) Promotion of Universal Tourism | Development of New Exchange Markets | Domestic Exchange Expansion Strategy | Tourism Policy/System | Japan Tourism Agency ■ Club Tourism's Initiatives Our company has hitherto focused on providing travel that everyone can enjoy with peace of mind, by developing "Adults' Relaxed Travel*" and other products characterized by relaxed itineraries and extensive support. We recognize that universal tourism is a field that will become increasingly important in the future tourism market, not just as a measure for specific individuals. Our company will maximize the knowledge gained from this project and promote the provision of travel products tailored to diverse needs. At the same time, we will work to solve social issues through tourism and contribute to the realization of sustainable tourism through co-creation with local communities. * "Adults' Relaxed Travel": https://tinyurl.com/4mj2wcc2