HomeAway, the vacation rental site operated by Expedia, has formed a new partnership in Japan.

The arrangement with Setouchi Brand Corporation is aimed at encouraging inbound tourism to the Setouchi area, which is also known as the Seto Inland Sea and the “Mediterranean of Japan”.

Travellers can now book HomeAway accommodation in the region, with a focus on historic properties. The first listings involve buildings that are more than 100 years-old, and by 2021, Setouchi aims to have 100 historic properties open for bookings.

“Given HomeAway and its parent company Expedia’s strong presence internationally, we are confident that our partnership will attract many foreign travellers to visit the Setouchi region,” said Yo Kimura, spokesperson for the Setouchi destination management organisation (DMO). “Looking ahead towards the future, we will also revitalise the properties based on customer needs and preferences to create a great experience for all travellers visiting the Setouchi region with HomeAway.”

“Japan is one of HomeAway’s top markets in Asia, and has always been a very popular travel destination,” commented said Prashant Kirtane, vice president of HomeAway Asia. “The Setouchi area in particular has so much to offer travellers, and staying in a traditional Japanese house provides a great cultural experience for families and groups of friends.

“We are excited about this partnership, and look forward to introducing our global travellers to the stunning Setouchi region, when they book a unique property through HomeAway,” he added.

The Setouchi area, in the south of Honshu Island, includes seven Japanese prefectures: Ehime, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Kagawa, Okayama, Tokushima and Yamaguchi.