Klook has partnered with Japanese hospitality company Hoshino Resorts to promote travel to regional Japan. The collaboration is intended to ease overcrowding in major cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka by encouraging travel to less-visited destinations.

According to Klook’s latest Travel Pulse survey, 63 per cent of Asia-Pacific travellers are looking to avoid crowded destinations and prefer less-travelled areas. Klook’s data also shows growing interest in cities such as Kunigami, Nagakute and Usu, which have seen a recent rise in demand.

The increase is attributed to developments such as the opening of the JUNGLIA theme park in Kunigami, continued interest in Ghibli Park in Nagakute, and nature-based tourism in Usu, including volcano treks, scenic trails and open-air hot springs.

Despite growing interest in regional areas, many international visitors face practical challenges such as limited transport coverage, language barriers and a lack of accessible booking options. To address this, the partnership includes Stay+ bundles that combine accommodation at Hoshino Resorts’ KAI ryokans with transport passes such as the JR Pass. These bundles, available through Klook, include instant booking and multilingual support.

The bundles cover 21 KAI properties in areas including Poroto in Hokkaido, Tsugaru in Tohoku, and Okuhida in the Japanese Alps.

The rollout will begin in Taiwan, South-east Asia and South Korea, with additional markets planned.

“Overtourism is a global issue, and Japan feels it strongly,” said Wilfred Fan, chief commercial officer of Klook. “Alongside Hoshino Resorts, we’re committed to promoting sustainable tourism through regional travel, and take this step toward securing the long-term future of Japan’s tourism ecosystem.”

Yoshiharu Hoshino, CEO of Hoshino Resorts added: “By partnering with Klook to integrate accommodation and transportation, we believe we can effectively address the challenge of limited local transportation and attract more travellers to explore various regions of Japan, improving both the visibility and accessibility of local tourism.”