More than 60 travel industry leaders from across the region and within Japan, representing top brands on both sides, will gather at Hotel Nikko to discuss key trends and issues under the theme of “Bridging Japan and The Online Travel World”.

The programme has been built from the ground up based on input from the participants. “This is a collaborative agenda,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, editor and founder of Web In Travel. “We want to ensure there is real exchange and two-way learning.”

She added, “This event would also not be possible without our champions on the ground – Kei Shibata, CEO, Venture Republic and Aya Aso, CEO of AGORA Hospitalities – who have volunteered their time and energy to put it together. For that, I am grateful.”

Said Shibata, “Japanese travel players know the world is big, that Expedia and Priceline are big and that Asia is there, but they don’t really know in what kind of magnitude and what they are really doing. I hope this event will enable players to understand what is going on in the world and to think globally.

“For the international delegates, it’s a great opportunity to meet so many people in the online industry – even for us – at the same time and to learn about the Japanese market. There are real differences – for example, there is still a strong culture in packaged tours in Japan unlike elsewhere.

“It’d also be healthy for us to start seeing innovation and disruption in the Japanese online space.”

The Forum has received resounding support from the industry. Sponsors include A-Care Systems (Experian), AGORA Hospitalities, All Nippon Airways, Expedia Affiliate Network Japan, Expedia Japan, Japan Airlines, Ikyu, iJTB, Las Vegas Sands, Hotel Nikko Tokyo, Nihon Kotsu, Rakuten, Recruit, TripAdvisor Japan, Sabre Hospitality Solutions, Solare Hotels & Resorts and Venture Republic (travel.jp/hotel.jp).

Guests flying into Tokyo include Adrian Currie, Chairman of Agoda, Dan Lynn, Managing Director of AirAsia Expedia, Azran Osman Rani, CEO of AirAsiaX, Simon Nowroz, President and Managing Director, Travelport Asia Pacific, Fritz Demopoulos, Queen’s Road Capital and John Mims, Global Director of Sales and Marketing, Las Vegas Sands Corp, among others. Hotel brands represented include Starwood, Shangri-La, Accor, Worldhotels and Kosmpolito.

Japanese brands that will be represented include the top three OTAs, Rakuten, Recruit and Ikyu, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, hotel groups such as Solare Hotels & Resorts, Ishin Hotels Group and Hoshino Resorts, the top inbound players (iJTB, Hankyu, KNT, HIS and NTA). Google, Twitter, Toocoo and Groupon will also be speaking at the forum.

The WIT Japan Executive Forum is a follow-up on the Sugoi! Japan campaign launched last year with Trust International to promote Japan inbound. At the WIT Conference, the Sugoi! Japan night raised S$12,000 for Living Dreams, a foundation which looks after orphans of the tsunami.

Tickets at US$250 are available for those who wish to “observe” the event. If you are interested, email Gerry Pang.