FIT Ruums, Webjet Group’s B2B travel distributor in Asia, has taken a major step forward in its global expansion strategy with the launch of its first Japanese office in Osaka.

The company has grown strongly since it first launched 12 months ago, building a network of offices serving nine key Asian markets – Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China and India. By establishing a presence in Japan, FIT Ruums will be able to secure a broader choice of Japanese hotels and better rates for its clients across Asia.

The launch follows the recent acquisition of London-based JacTravel by the Webjet Group. This GBP200 million (approx. US$270 million) deal propelled WebBeds to become the world’s second largest B2B player globally, comprising FIT Ruums, JacTravel, Sunhotels and Lots of Hotels.

With this global coverage, FIT Ruums will be working with travel agents across the globe to drive more business to its hotel partners in Japan. The company is now busy contracting in Japan, with a focus on securing the best rates for its partners worldwide at a broad range of hotels across the country, including new and unique properties, international hotels and traditional ryokans. This will allow Japanese hoteliers who partner FIT Ruums to generate significant new international business.

“We are delighted to announce the launch of our first office in Japan,” said Daryl Lee (main picture), CEO of FIT Ruums. “This is the perfect time to enter Japan, as the country’s travel and tourism industry grows from strength to strength.

“Driven by the continued growth of intra-regional travel in Asia, the proliferation of new airlines and routes, and the enduring appeal of Japanese culture, Japan’s tourism industry is currently experiencing a period of unprecedented growth. With the promise of major international events on the horizon, we believe that Japan will become a major global force in the travel and tourism industry in the coming years,” Mr Lee added.

The Japanese government is now targeting 40 million international arrivals by 2020 and a staggering 60 million visitors by 2030. If this figure is achieved, it would make Japan one of the world’s most popular global tourism destinations. Much of this growth is being driven by the intra-Asian market, with visitor arrivals from Mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan showing consistently strong improvements.

“We are very pleased to hear that FIT Ruums, a major new B2B company, has decided to start operating in Japan. This will enable us to further expand our business opportunities worldwide, as we welcome even more guests from all over the world,” said Jun Shinohara, Hotel Manager of the Tokyo Marriott Hotel.