Setouchi Brand Corporation

Name

Setouchi Brand Corporation

Legal name

株式会社瀬戸内ブランドコーポレーション

Website

https://setouchi-bc.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Destination Management

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Destination Management (Ground Handling & Onsite Operations) (THAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inbound DMCs (Full-Service Ground Handling) (THAKAEAA), Full-Service Corporate Travel Management Companies (Global/Regional TMCs) (THACAAAA), Group Accommodation Sourcing & Contracting (Room Blocks, Allotments) (THAHADAD)

Keywords

• Tourism destination management
• Regional tourism investment
• Hospitality operations consulting
• DMO development services
• Tourism fund management

Headquarters

HQ city

Hiroshima

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Fund Management: Management of the Setouchi Tourism Activation Fund (49 billion yen total) and Setouchi Tourism Sustainable Fund, providing investment and financing to tourism-related businesses in the Setouchi 7-province region. Revenue derived from fund management fees and investment returns.
2. Consulting Services: Consulting services for local governments (tourism planning, PPP/PFI projects, DMO formation) and tourism businesses (accommodation development, business planning, fundraising support). Provides application support for government subsidies.
3. Direct Hospitality Operations: Direct operation of hotels, ryokans, glamping facilities, and other tourism accommodations through wholly-owned subsidiaries including Setouchi Hotels (Hilton Hiroshima), Setouchi Ryokan (Ryokan Onomichi Nishiyama), Kogai Keikaku (Setouchi Kominka Stays, Kohan Stays), MIMA Challenge (Udatsu town lodging/Italian restaurant), Setouchi Sanso (Onomichi Club), Setuch Cycle Stays, and Tawarayama Create (Tawarayama hot spring town inn).
4. Setouchi DMO Members: Membership service providing tourism-related businesses access to knowledge resources, networking/matching services, and operational support tools. Revenue from monthly membership fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Setouchi Brand Corporation operates the Setouchi Destination Management Organization (DMO) covering seven prefectures, providing management and business support to local tourism-related businesses. The company delivers four integrated service lines: (1) management of a 49 billion yen tourism investment fund providing capital to tourism operators, (2) consulting services for local governments covering tourism planning, DMO formation, and PPP/PFI projects, (3) direct operation of hospitality properties (hotels, ryokans, glamping, kominka stays) through wholly-owned subsidiaries, and (4) the Setouchi DMO Members subscription service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• せとうち古民家ステイズ (Setouchi Kominka Stays): Traditional machiya (old folk house) accommodation rentals in Hiroshima Prefecture, including facilities in 庄原市 (長者屋, 不老仙, こざこ森). Operated by subsidiary 株式会社古街計画.
• せとうち湖畔ステイズ (Kohan Stays)
• せとうちアイランドステイズ (Setouchi Island Stays)
• Ryokan 尾道西山
• 尾道俱樂部 (Onomichi Club)
• せとうちサイクルステイズ広島宇品
• 俵山まちごと旅館
• Paysage Moriguchi
• Italian/Cafe Punta
• せとうちDMOメンバーズ
• せとうちDMC
• ヒルトン広島 (Hilton Hiroshima)

Products and services

• Setouchi Tourism Sustainable Fund A 4.9 billion yen private equity fund (Setouchi Kanko Katsudou 2-gou Fund) providing investment and financing support to tourism-related businesses across the Setouchi 7-prefecture region. Managed by Setouchi Tourism Partners with 8 regional banks and DBJ as LP investors.
• Tourism Consulting Services

Quantifiable outcome

• First Hilton-branded hotel in Chugoku/Shikoku region (420 rooms, opened October 2022)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Orange and Partners Co., Ltd. (オレンジ・アンド・パートナーズ)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2024Business partnership for renovation of former Sokoji Sanso into new accommodation 'Onomichi Club' opening 2025. Company handles development/operation through subsidiary; Orange and Partners provides brand planning.
• MIMA Challenge Co., Ltd. (株式会社ＭＩＭＡチャレンジ)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Wholly acquired MIMA Challenge which operates traditional lodging 'Paysage Moriguchi' and Italian restaurant 'Punta' in Udatsu-cho Machi (Tokushima). Received 2017 Ministry of Internal Affairs award for regional revitalization.
• Kasumigaseki Capital Co., Ltd. (霞ヶ関キャピタル株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 November 2023Investment in FAV HOTEL Shodoshima Yasuda project. Hotel chain developer Kasumigaseki Capital developing all-ocean-view resort hotel in Shodoshima using Setouchi Tourism Sustainable Fund.
• Hilton (ヒルトン)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2023Hilton Hiroshima opened October 2022 as first Hilton in Chugoku/Shikoku region. 420 rooms with MICE facilities. Operated by Setouchi Hotels subsidiary with Hilton brand.
• Sekisui House Co., Ltd. and Marriott InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022Joint development of 'Trip Base Michi-no-Eki Project' - hotels adjacent to roadside stations nationwide. Setouchi Fund invests in the development entity (Trip Base 2nd).
• Setomoss Co., Ltd. (株式会社せともす)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 August 2022Joint operation of Citrus Park Setouchi and new glamping facility LEMON FARM GLAMPING Shimanami. Joint venture with Marimo Holdings as lead investor, Setouchi Brand and Hirogin Capital Partners.
• Nishiyama Ryokan Co., Ltd. (株式会社西山旅館)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2022Nishiyama Ryokan transferred operations of historic Nishiyama Bekkan to Setouchi Ryokan (SBC subsidiary). Founder Nishiyama Mitsuo serves as director of the new company.
• Fujimimachi Development General Incorporated Association (富士見町開発合同会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2018SPC established by Setouchi Brand to develop Hilton Hiroshima. Fund provided capital and Setouchi Hotels (subsidiary) operates the property.
• Setouchi 7-Prefecture Local GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Regional governments of Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tokushima, Kagawa, and Ehime prefectures collaborate through Setouchi DMO for coordinated tourism development across the Setouchi region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• H.I.S. Co., Ltd. Major Japanese OTA and tour operator offering packaged travel to Setouchi and other regions. Comparable in organizing tours and travel services, though H.I.S. operates at national scale as a retail-facing OTA rather than DMO/fund-driven model.
• Relo Holdings: Japanese company operating vacation rental, timeshare, and corporate housing services including regional destinations. Comparable in developing alternative accommodation formats in regional Japan and serving inbound tourism demand.
• Tokyu Resorts & Stays: Japanese resort and hotel operator with similar focus on regional destination development. Comparable in operating owned/managed hospitality properties and leveraging parent group travel customer flows.
• Hankyu Hanshin Hotels: Hotel operator under Hankyu Hanshin Holdings with properties across western Japan including Setouchi region. Comparable in operating premium hospitality assets targeting both inbound and domestic travelers in the same geographic footprint.
• Hoshino Resorts: Japan's leading operator of luxury ryokans and resorts with similar premium positioning to SBC's Ryokan Onomichi Nishiyama. Comparable in delivering high-end Japanese hospitality experiences and pursuing Michelin-level recognition across regional destinations.

Broad incumbents

• JTB Corporation: Japan's largest travel agency with deep presence in corporate travel, MICE, and destination management. Comparable DMC and incentive travel capabilities across all major Japanese destinations, including Setouchi region programs.
• KNT-CT Holdings: Major Japanese travel company providing tour operations and corporate travel management. Comparable tour operator with regional destination management capabilities, particularly in MICE and incentive travel.
• JR West Real Estate & Development (West Japan Railway Group): Tourism and hospitality arm of West Japan Railway with extensive Setouchi region presence. Comparable in promoting regional tourism, operating hospitality assets, and partnering with local governments across the same 7-prefecture footprint.
• Mitsui Fudosan Resort: Resort and luxury hospitality operator under Mitsui Fudosan. Comparable in developing and operating premium resort properties across Japan, with similar brand emphasis on curated Japanese experiences.

Others

• Visit Japan / JNTO: Japan National Tourism Organization promoting inbound tourism to Japan broadly. SBC operates as a regional DMO within the broader JNTO ecosystem; comparable in destination marketing and promotion, though at national scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBgNhBQSIFC1hL9eAwGo1qw/featured

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Setouchi Brand Corporation