It opened an office in Singapore early this year to get closer to potential users in the region and will launch the beta version of its English website on April 23.

It hopes to encourage travellers in Asia to “social travel” by planning and creating unique travel experiences with other users. In the initial phase, trippiece will focus on travellers interested in visiting Japan where it feels it has the edge on sharing unique travel ideas with these users.

Founded in Tokyo in 2011, trippiece is a community of travellers looking for like-minded people for the next adventure. trippiece provides an online platform for travellers to share travel ideas and plan trips with other users who have the same interests in a particular destination or activity.

Explaining the concept of “social travelling”, Ian Ishida (left), founder and CEO of trippiece said, “Using our website, users can discuss trip details, plan and go on a unique trip together.”

He recognised that there was a gap between what the industry was providing and what young Japanese travellers really wanted. “On trippiece, users can have a say and decide what they want to do, then connect and travel with other users with the same interests. This unique travel experience is totally different from what you get from conventional tour packages. Trips created on trippiece often have the sense of exploration and adventure in backpacking or flashpacking, but with the added element of travelling with likeminded companions.”

Since it won the WIT Start-Up Pitch in 2012 in Singapore, trippiece has gone from strength to strength. It secured US$1 million funding and in June 2013, it won the award from the Chief Secretary of Japan Tourism Agency. trippiece has also partnered with big players such as JTB and H.I.S., and is constantly featured in Japanese printed, digital and broadcast media, including Nikkei, Yomiuri and TV Programme “World Business Satellite”.

As of 2014, trippiece has gathered more than 70,000 users on the Japanese website, out of whom 15,000 have been on or will go on trips, both domestic and international, with other trippiece users.

The English website will be a simpler version of the Japanese one, with a focus on Japanese destinations and activities.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, Japan has seen a 31.8% increase from 2012 to 2013 in the total number of visitors arriving with the purpose of tourism. Similarly, there is a 40.7% increase in the number of Singaporean visitors for the same purpose. The recent waiver of visa requirements from key countries in South-east Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, should also boost inbound tourism from these source markets.

With the increase in visitors, trippiece intends to leverage on its niche and expertise as a young Japanese company to share “Only in Japan” travel ideas. Users can look forward to unique travel experiences in Japan, including exploring less known destinations such as Shikoku or Yakushima in Kyushu, visiting traditional ryokans and hot springs, and joining in some of Japan’s festivals ranging from breathtakingly exciting ones like Akita’s Kanto Matsuri to fun-filled summer festivals such as the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival.