Club Tourism International

What Club Tourism International does

Club Tourism International (クラブツーリズム株式会社) is a Japanese travel agency and wholly-owned subsidiary of KNT-CT Holdings Co., Ltd. (a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed travel group). The company designs, packages, and sells themed group tours — both domestic across all 47 Japanese prefectures and international across 70+ countries — under multiple sub-brands including Royal Granstage (luxury), Aruku (walking/hiking), Hitori-Tabi (solo travel, launched 1997), Yuru-ruri Tabi (75+ senior-accessible), the Railway Division (鉄道部), and Club Tourism Space Tours. Core products are all-inclusive guided package tours covering transportation, accommodation, meals, and admissions, with expert tour conductors (添乗員) and exclusive access to restricted venues such as freight railway lines and depot facilities.

The company's go-to-market is a multi-channel distribution including its own club-t.com website (multilingualised to English and Traditional Chinese in September 2024), KNT retail storefronts, telephone reservation centres, quarterly printed catalogues (Tabi-no-tomo), email newsletters, and co-produced media (TV Tokyo's weekday 'Half Time Tours' and joint 'Tere-Travel' platform with TV Tokyo Direct). A subscription service — Club Tourism Pass (クラブツーリズムパス) — launched in September 2021 in partnership with KDDI adds a recurring-revenue engagement layer with online talk events, content, and member benefits. Marketing leverages TV programming, YouTube (180,000+ subscribers on co-branded cooking channel), LINE official account, and friend-referral campaigns.

The primary customer base consists of active seniors aged 60+ who purchase themed tours for domestic and international travel. A growing segment of solo female travellers aged 30–50, elderly travellers aged 75+ requiring assisted travel, and corporate/government partners (regional DMO bodies, Panasonic, JR companies, etc.) seeking co-branded regional tourism and CSR tours round out the customer mix. Pricing spans ¥3,980 day trips to ¥2,000,000+ luxury itineraries. The company faces reputational pressure from two bus accidents — a fatal incident on 13 October 2022 and another fatal rollover in Afyon Province, Turkey on 17 October 2024 — and reported a potential server data leak notice in November 2024.

Name

Club Tourism International

Legal name

クラブツーリズム株式会社

Website

https://club-tourism.co.jp

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Club Tourism International is a Japanese travel agency and subsidiary of KNT-CT Holdings that designs, packages, and sells themed guided tours (domestic across all 47 prefectures and international across 70+ countries) primarily for active seniors, solo travellers, and corporate/government partners, with sub-brands including Royal Granstage, Aruku, and Yuru-ruri Tabi.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Agency Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic/In-Country Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Travel Subscription, Membership & Deal Clubs (THAKAAAL), Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAE)

Keywords

• Package tour services
• Themed travel experiences
• Group tour operations
• Senior travel tours
• Travel agency services

Headquarters

HQ city

Shinjuku

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Package tour sales (募集型企画旅行): The company earns revenue by designing, packaging, and selling guided group tours (both domestic and international). Customers pay an all-inclusive tour price covering transportation, accommodation, meals, admissions, and a tour conductor. Revenue is recognised at point of tour departure.
2. Club Tourism Pass subscription: Launched September 2021 via KDDI partnership, the Club Tourism Pass is a subscription/v membership programme providing access to online talk live events, exclusive content, and member-only benefits. Revenue model combines subscription fees with upsell opportunities to paid tours.
3. Travel goods e-commerce / 'Tabi-no-tomo' mail-order: Sale of travel-related goods and merchandise through the 'Tabi-no-tomo' (旅の友) mail-order catalogue and online store.
4. Corporate / group sales and themed tours: B2B and B2G revenue through themed/co-branded tours with corporate partners (e.g., Panasonic, JR companies, Orio Beer), and regional government tourism promotion contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Club Tourism International designs, packages, and sells guided themed package tours (募集型企画旅行) covering transportation, accommodation, meals, admissions, and tour conductor services for both domestic and international destinations. The company operates multiple sub-brands targeting different customer segments including active seniors (Royal Granstage luxury tier, Otona no Yururi Tabi for 75+), solo travellers (Hitori-tabi), rail enthusiasts (Railway Department), and walking/hiking groups (Aruku), supported by a subscription membership service (Club Tourism Pass) and travel-related mail-order business (Tabi-no-tomo).

Product overview

Club Tourism International operates a comprehensive travel platform centered around its main Club Tourism brand, offering themed package tours with diverse sub-brands including luxury travel (Royal Gran Stage), solo travel, walking/hiking tours (Aruku), and senior-friendly options (Adult Yururi Travel). The portfolio includes specialized offerings like railway tours, regenerative tourism programs, TV collaboration products (TV Tokyo Travel), and subscription services (Club Tourism Pass). The company serves primarily active seniors and offers both domestic and international travel packages through multiple sales channels including websites, catalogs, and TV programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Themed Package Tours (テーマのある旅) All-inclusive guided group package tours covering transportation, accommodation, meals, admissions, and tour conductor services across domestic and international destinations, organised around specific themes (rail, gardening, art, history, wellness, nature, hiking). Targets active seniors aged 60+.
• Royal Granstage (ロイヤル・グランステージ) Premium luxury travel sub-brand featuring upscale accommodations (including The Ritz-Carlton partnerships), high-end bus service (Royal Cruiser), and curated experiences for wealthy senior couples.
• Hitori-tabi Solo Travel (ひとり旅) Solo-friendly group tours where all participants travel alone, including women-only departures for ages 30-50s. Designed to address dining-alone anxiety and solo-traveller concerns.
• Otona no Yururi Tabi (大人 的ゆるり旅) - Senior-Accessible Tours Specially designed tours for travellers aged 75+ featuring assisted boarding, wheelchair-accessible buses, slower pace, guaranteed single rooms, and care staff support.
• 65+ Overseas Travel (65歳以上限定の海外の旅) Overseas travel packages exclusively designed for customers aged 65 and older, with support services tailored to senior travellers.
• Aruku Walking Tours (歩く) Walking and hiking tour series with 30+ years of experience, offering guided walks from beginner to advanced mountain climbing levels.
• Railway Department Tours (鉄道部) Specialised rail tour brand offering freight line tours, railway facility visits, and exclusive rail experiences in cooperation with JR Tokai, JR West, and JR Freight.
• Regenerative Tourism Programme (リジェネラティブ・ツーリズム) Sustainable tourism programme at Ikusaka Village, Nagano Prefecture, combining nature conservation with community-based travel experiences and culminating in 'Nature Fellow' certification.
• Club Tourism Pass (クラブツーリズムパス) Subscription/membership programme offering online talk live events with celebrities and experts, travel content, exclusive member benefits, and recurring engagement opportunities upsold to paid tours.
• Tere-Travel (テレ東トラベル) Joint project with TV Tokyo Group selling tour packages themed around TV Tokyo programmes, integrating entertainment content with travel bookings.
• Choko Tabi Short Trips (ちょこ旅) Short-duration day trip tours under 6 hours, designed for busy schedules and quick getaways.
• YOKOSO JAPAN TOUR (Inbound Tourism Site) Inbound tourism global site supporting multilingual reservations for international visitors to Japan.
• Tabi-no-tomo (旅の友) Travel Catalogue & Mail-Order Quarterly printed travel catalogue and mail-order service for travel-related goods and merchandise, serving as both content marketing and a separate revenue stream.
• Magokoro Club (まごころ倶楽部) Elderly Care Travel Elderly care travel service combining travel with caregiving support, registered trademark covering travel and nursing services for senior customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Solo travel sales grew 133% YoY in FY2023, reaching record high with 1,300+ courses
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• TV Tokyo Direct Co., Ltd. (株式会社テレビ東京ダイレクト)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2020Joint project 'Tere-Travel' (テレ東トラベル) launched September 2020 to develop and sell tour packages themed around TV Tokyo programmes. Both companies contribute content development (TV Tokyo) and tour operation/booking (Club Tourism). Expanded in 2025 to include co-produced TV programmes 'Half Time Tours' (since 2018) and 'Shiritai! Towa no Michi' (教えて！ツアーの達人).
• KNT-CT Holdings Co., Ltd. (KNT-CTホールディングス株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClub Tourism International is a consolidated subsidiary of KNT-CT Holdings, a major Japanese travel group listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company leverages KNT's retail store network for distribution and KNT-CT's group-wide purchasing power, brand authority, and shared services (HR, finance, IT). The parent company website hosts investor relations and group company information.
• Central Japan Railway Company (東海旅客鉄道株式会社 / JR東海)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing co-development of rail-themed tours, including the 2026 Tokaido Main Line Shizuoka area tour using the 373 series 'Nice Holiday Maku' train, and the 2024 Tokaido Shinkansen 60th anniversary commemorative tour. JR Tokai provides train access, staff cooperation, and exclusive experiences (depot visits, special route access) for Club Tourism's 'Railway Division' products.
• West Japan Railway Company (西日本旅客鉄道株式会社 / JR西区)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the first Kansai-area freight line tour (July 2024) and subsequent Kansai freight line + Kyoto Railway Museum tour (July 2025) using JR West lines and rolling stock. JR West provides special train access, staff escort, and route clearance for Club Tourism's railway enthusiast products.
• Japan Freight Railway Company (日本貨物鉄道株式会社 / JR貨物)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJR Freight partners with Club Tourism to enable passenger tours on freight-only railway lines. Since 2017, Club Tourism's 'Railway Division' has operated 'freight line tours' (貨物線ツアー) accessing facilities normally off-limits to the public, with JR Freight providing operational cooperation and safety clearances.
• Panasonic Corporation (パナソニック株式会社)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed beauty-tech travel experiences launched July 2026. Panasonic provides its beauty appliances (hair dryers, facial devices) for use at destinations, while Club Tourism creates travel itineraries centred on beauty and self-care themes. Products include day trips at Panasonic Beauty Omotesando and overnight stays at hotels featuring Panasonic appliances.
• Ikusaka Village Tourism Association / Ikusaka 'Sakou no Mori' (長野県生坂村観光協会 / いくさか『創造の森』)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year regenerative tourism partnership (リジェネラティブ・ツーリズム) launched July 2024 at Ikusaka Village, Nagano Prefecture. Club Tourism co-develops a 6-tour programme culminating in participants becoming certified 'Nature Fellows'. Funded as a model project by the Japan Tourism Agency's 'Second Hometown Creation Project'. Partners include multiple companies via a consortium structure.
• Rikkyo University (立教大学)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate Professor Kiuji Masahiko from Rikkyo University's Faculty of Sports Well-being serves as programme lecturer for the regenerative tourism project at Ikusaka Village. Provides academic expertise in environmental education and conservation activities.
• 100-Year Ryokan Network (百年料亭ネットワーク)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive cooperation agreement signed 28 May 2026 to promote high-value-added tourism leveraging traditional Japanese ryokan (restaurant-inn) culture. Club Tourism will use its nationwide customer network and themed-travel expertise to develop and distribute travel products centred on 100-year-old traditional ryokan, aiming to preserve regional food and hospitality culture while stimulating local economies.
• Kyoto Railway Museum (京都鉄道博物館)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with JR West and Club Tourism to run chartered 'KiHa 189 series' trains directly into Kyoto Railway Museum (July 2025). The museum provides special access including SL Steam No. and rare rolling stock viewing (583 series, 500 series).
• Orio Beer Co., Ltd. (オリオンビール株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-branded T-shirt collaboration (January 2026) celebrating Shuri Castle rebuilding, with part of T-shirt sales donated to Okinawa performing arts preservation. Partnership leverages Orio's distribution and licensing while Club Tourism provides tourism content around Shuri Castle events.
• Japan Tourism Agency (観光庁)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClub Tourism was commissioned by the Japan Tourism Agency to create a practical manual for travel companies on developing and selling Universal Tourism products (June 2024). This supports the agency's goal of making travel accessible to all regardless of age or disability.
• TV Tokyo (テレビ東京)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-running media partnership since October 2018, co-producing the weekday morning travel programme 'Half Time Tours' (朝8:00-8:15 on TV Tokyo). TV Tokyo provides broadcast platform and programme production expertise; Club Tourism provides tour development and product integration. Expanded in 2024 with 'Shiritai! Towa no Michi' (教えて！ツアーの達人) weekday programme.
• KDDI Corporation (KDDI株式会社)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership announced September 2021 to provide the 'Club Tourism Pass' subscription service. KDDI contributes platform infrastructure and customer access (au service ecosystem) while Club Tourism provides travel content and exclusive experiences for members.
• Shonan Bellmare Futsal Club (株式会社湘南ベルマーレフットサルクラブ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-way 'B-Zebras' project (April 2024) with Mirai Works and Club Tourism, using sports for regional activation. Club Tourism contributes travel and active-senior community expertise; Bellmare provides community platform and social challenge project framework across 3 cities and 8 towns in the Sagami region.
• Yokohama Ring-Tail / OZ Mall × Club Tourism women's solo travelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-branded women's solo travel product developed with Yokohama Ring-Tail (OZ Mall) in November 2019, targeting female travellers through OZ Mall's female-oriented platform.
• YAMAP (株式会社ヤマップ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership announced September 2020 to develop outdoor/nature-based travel experiences. Cooperation areas include: (1) 'Satoyuki-type local tours' combining YAMAP's outdoor platform with Club Tourism's product development; (2) regional vitalisation through mountain tourism; (3) community formation for outdoor activities; (4) natural education programmes; (5) content expansion for offline mountain activities.
• Oji Holdings Corporation (王子ホールディングス株式会社)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond collaboration (April 2024) to offer hiking tours at 'Oji no Mori Kamiashigawa' (Prince Forest) in Yamanashi Prefecture. Oji Holdings provides exclusive access to its 650+ forest sites (190,000 ha of company-owned forest) for environmental education and nature tourism experiences. Club Tourism develops and sells themed hiking tours to these normally inaccessible forests.
• Taiwan Tourism Administration (台湾観光庁)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClub Tourism has been recognised multiple years (2022–2024) with Taiwan Tourism Contribution Awards for its efforts in promoting Taiwan travel. Collaboration includes tour development and marketing for Taiwan destinations in Club Tourism's international portfolio.
• 百年料亭ネットワーク (100-Year Ryokan Network)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop high-value-added tourism content combining centuries-old traditional ryokan culture with regional sightseeing. Focus on regional activation, preservation of Japanese food/hospitality culture, and creation of new travel experiences leveraging historic ryokan.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Hoshino Resorts Inc. Japanese operator of luxury ryokan and experiential resorts; comparable at the high end of Club Tourism's portfolio (Royal Granstage tier) for curated, experience-led travel targeting affluent Japanese seniors and inbound visitors.

Broad incumbents

• Trip.com Group: Global OTA with significant Japan presence offering package tours, attractions, and themed experiences; competes with Club Tourism for international visitors to Japan and for outbound Chinese-speaking travellers from Taiwan/Hong Kong.
• JTB Corporation (Japan Travel Bureau): Japan's largest travel agency offering packaged tours, corporate travel, and destination services; overlaps heavily with Club Tourism's group-tour business but with a much broader portfolio beyond themed travel.

Regional players

• Tobu Top Tours Co., Ltd. Japanese tour operator affiliated with the Tobu Group, focusing on group, cultural, and domestic tours; comparable in guided-group-tour model and senior-skewing customer base, primarily in the Kanto region.

Direct peers

• Kinki Nippon Tourist (KNT) Co., Ltd. Sister company within the KNT-CT Holdings group, offering domestic and international package tours through its retail storefront network; directly comparable in product mix, customer base, and distribution channel strategy.
• Jalan.net (Recruit Holdings): Major Japanese OTA focused on domestic travel packages and ryokan stays; comparable in customer overlap (Japanese domestic leisure travellers) and in competing for the same tour-discovery moment.
• H.I.S. Co., Ltd. Major Japanese travel agency operating themed and package tours domestically and internationally; directly comparable in target customers (seniors, families), themed-tour focus, and international destination coverage.
• Rakuten Travel: One of Japan's largest OTAs for domestic and international package tours; competes directly for the same Japanese traveller wallet via online booking, particularly for self-packaging vs. guided tours.
• ANA X Inc. (formerly ANA Sales): Airline-affiliated Japanese tour operator selling ANA-flight package tours domestic and international; comparable in dynamic package-tour model and senior-skewing customer base tied to scheduled air service.
• JALPAK (JAL Group): JAL Group's tour-operating arm selling flight-inclusive package tours to Japanese travellers; directly comparable in senior-traveller focus and bundle of air + land components.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/clubtourism

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Club Tourism International