Lion Travel Japan Brings Taiwan’s Global Travel Vision to Tourism EXPO Japan 2026

Taiwan’s travel industry is taking a significant step onto the international stage this week as Lion Travel Service, Taiwan’s largest listed travel company, makes its first dedicated appearance at Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 through its Japanese subsidiary, Lion Travel Japan.

The debut is more than a conventional trade-show appearance. It reflects how the tourism business is changing across Asia: travel companies are no longer simply selling flights, hotels and packaged holidays. They are building international networks, developing destination experiences, working directly with local communities and using technology to connect travelers with places in increasingly personal ways.

Lion Travel’s presence at Tokyo Big Sight from September 24 to 27 comes at a particularly important moment for Japan. International tourism has reached record levels, Taiwan remains one of Japan’s major visitor markets, and Japanese travelers are again looking outward as overseas tourism continues its recovery. Against that backdrop, Lion Travel Japan is positioning itself as a bridge connecting Japan not only with Taiwan, but with travelers and destinations around the world. (PR Newswire)

A First-Time Appearance With a Much Bigger Ambition

Lion Travel Service, listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2731, has spent decades building a travel business rooted in Taiwan while gradually developing an international network.

Its decision to exhibit independently at Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 through Lion Travel Japan signals a deeper commitment to Japan as both a destination and a market.

Lion Travel Japan was established in 2009. In its early years, the Japanese subsidiary focused primarily on arranging package tours for travelers from Taiwan. Its business has since broadened considerably. Today, the company describes its role as providing travel solutions for visitors coming to Japan from different parts of the world while also developing outbound travel from Japan and travel services for companies and organizations.

That evolution is important because it illustrates a broader transformation in Asian tourism.

The traditional model was relatively simple: a traveler lived in one country, purchased a tour from a travel agency and visited another country.

The newer model is far more interconnected.

A travel company can simultaneously bring Taiwanese travelers to Japan, Japanese travelers overseas, international visitors into Japan, and travelers from different countries into Taiwan. It can work with local governments, operate buses, develop rail experiences, sell digital products and provide services on the ground.

Lion Travel’s strategy increasingly reflects this interconnected model.

The company describes its broader vision as a world in which every region can simultaneously function as a travel destination and a travel market for another region. Japan therefore becomes not merely a destination for Taiwanese travelers, but a central part of a larger global tourism network. (PR Newswire)

Why Tourism EXPO Japan Matters

Tourism EXPO Japan is one of the major meeting points for the international tourism industry.

The 2026 edition is being held at Tokyo Big Sight from September 24 through September 27. The first two days are dedicated primarily to industry and press audiences, followed by public days on September 26 and 27. The event is organized by the Japan Travel and Tourism Association, the Japan Association of Travel Agents and the Japan National Tourism Organization, with the Japan Association of Travel Agents playing a central role alongside other tourism organizations. (ツーリズムEXPOジャパン)

The event’s purpose extends beyond consumer tourism promotion.

It brings together destinations, tourism organizations, travel companies, accommodation providers, transportation businesses and other stakeholders involved in the tourism economy. Business meetings and consumer-facing activities create opportunities for companies to develop partnerships while presenting new experiences to travelers. (ツーリズムEXPOジャパン)

For Lion Travel Japan, that makes the 2026 exhibition particularly relevant.

The company is not entering the event simply to promote one destination. It is presenting a business model that connects different markets.

Its booth has been designed around that idea.

Turning a Trade-Show Booth Into a Railway Station

Lion Travel’s exhibition concept is called “Global Travel Train,” with the booth imagined as a station connecting Taiwan, Japan and the wider world.

The concept draws heavily on the company’s long association with rail tourism.

Visitors will encounter elements inspired by an international railway station, including timetable displays, arrival information and platform-style signs. The objective is to make the booth feel less like a conventional corporate exhibition and more like the starting point of a journey. (PR Newswire)

That approach is particularly fitting for a company that has developed a strong portfolio of scenic railway experiences.

Rather than simply displaying photographs of destinations, Lion Travel plans to make the exhibition multisensory.

Visitors can experience interactive photo content, videos designed to evoke the sensation of looking through a train window, sound and other visual elements. The booth will also feature a limited fragrance inspired by Taiwan’s premium scenic train THE FUTURE.

The result is intended to communicate an idea that is increasingly influential in modern tourism: people do not only remember where they went. They remember how a journey felt.

A railway journey can therefore become part of the destination itself.

From Taiwan to Japan and the World

Two major areas will dominate Lion Travel Japan’s presentation at Tourism EXPO Japan 2026.

The first is its network of local bus tours around the world.

The second is its premium scenic railway experiences developed in Taiwan.

At first glance, these may appear to be very different products.

One uses roads and buses to explore destinations. The other uses trains to transform transportation into an experience.

But both reflect the same philosophy: travel should provide access to places, stories and local experiences rather than functioning only as transportation between major tourist attractions.

Lion Travel Japan has developed bus-tour products departing from different parts of Japan, including Hokkaido and Okinawa. The company says these tours are designed to offer regionally distinctive experiences to travelers from around the world. (PR Newswire)

This approach can be particularly valuable in a country like Japan.

Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka naturally attract huge numbers of international visitors. Yet Japan’s tourism story extends far beyond those destinations.

Hokkaido offers a dramatically different landscape and seasonal experience. Okinawa has its own island culture and subtropical environment. Kyushu offers volcanic scenery, hot springs, food traditions and rapidly developing tourism infrastructure.

A nationwide operating network gives Lion Travel Japan an opportunity to introduce travelers to a broader Japan.

The Growth of Lion Travel Japan’s Local Presence

Lion Travel Japan’s expansion has not been limited to its Tokyo operations.

In 2023, the company opened a branch in Okinawa, strengthening its ability to serve visitors in one of Japan’s most distinctive tourism regions. In 2025, it also established a base in Kumamoto.

The Kumamoto expansion is particularly interesting because it coincides with growing business activity linked to semiconductor-related investment in the region. That creates demand extending beyond traditional leisure tourism, including services for companies, organizations and business visitors. (PR Newswire)

This illustrates another important trend in modern tourism.

The boundaries between leisure travel, business travel, corporate services and destination development are becoming increasingly fluid.

A travel company with local infrastructure can support all of these segments.

It can arrange transportation for leisure travelers, provide tours for international visitors, support corporate travel and collaborate with local authorities seeking to attract visitors.

For Japan’s regional destinations, that type of network can be especially valuable.

Japan’s Tourism Market Has Entered a New Era

Lion Travel’s decision to deepen its presence in Japan comes as the country’s inbound tourism sector experiences exceptional demand.

According to the figures cited by Lion Travel from the Japan National Tourism Organization, Japan received approximately 42.68 million international visitors in 2025, a record level. Visitors from Taiwan accounted for approximately 6.76 million arrivals, making Taiwan Japan’s third-largest source market by country or region in that year. (PR Newswire)

Those numbers help explain why Japan has become such an important strategic market for Asian travel companies.

Japan offers a combination of mature tourism infrastructure and enormous geographic and cultural diversity.

Travelers can move between futuristic cities, historic neighborhoods, mountain villages, tropical islands, ski resorts, hot-spring towns and rural communities without leaving the country.

For travel operators, that diversity creates opportunities to build increasingly specialized itineraries.

Instead of selling “a trip to Japan,” companies can develop journeys around food, railways, nature, wellness, culture, seasonal experiences or regional exploration.

Lion Travel’s exhibition strategy appears designed around exactly this type of specialization.

Taiwan and Japan: A Mature Tourism Relationship

Taiwan and Japan have long maintained strong tourism links.

For Taiwanese travelers, Japan offers geographical proximity, extensive air connectivity, familiar regional travel infrastructure and a wide variety of experiences.

For Japan, Taiwan represents a substantial inbound tourism market.

The scale of this relationship means that the next stage of growth is unlikely to come simply from encouraging more people to visit.

Instead, the opportunity increasingly lies in diversifying where people go, what they do and how long they stay.

That is where regional tourism becomes important.

A visitor who has already experienced Tokyo or Kyoto may be interested in discovering lesser-known destinations on a second or third trip.

A family may want a different experience from a young couple.

A luxury traveler may seek a scenic railway journey rather than a standard sightseeing itinerary.

A corporate traveler may require an entirely different service structure.

The ability to serve these different audiences is becoming one of the defining characteristics of a modern travel company.

Seven Scenic Railway Experiences From Taiwan

One of the most distinctive elements of Lion Travel’s international strategy is its development of premium scenic trains in Taiwan.

The company operates what it describes as Taiwan’s Seven Great Scenic Trains.

These include THE FUTURE, The Moving Kitchen, HAIFENG, SHANLAN, Formosensis, Vivid Express and BREEZY BLUE. (PR Newswire)

Each concept approaches railway tourism differently.

Some emphasize luxury and culinary experiences. Others focus on landscapes, design, nostalgia or access to Taiwan’s mountain environments.

This is an important shift from viewing railways purely as transportation.

A conventional train takes a traveler from one station to another.

A scenic train can make the journey itself the attraction.

The changing landscape outside the window becomes part of the itinerary. Food becomes part of the experience. The design of the carriage becomes part of the story.

In that sense, premium rail tourism sits somewhere between transportation, hospitality and destination marketing.

“Deep Tourism” and the Search for Meaningful Travel

The company’s scenic railway portfolio also reflects the growing interest in what could broadly be called deep tourism.

Modern travelers increasingly want experiences that allow them to understand a destination rather than simply photograph it.

That might mean eating regional food, meeting local producers, traveling through rural communities, learning about traditional culture or spending more time in places outside major urban centers.

Rail travel naturally lends itself to this approach.

A train moves slowly enough for travelers to observe landscapes.

It connects communities that might otherwise be bypassed.

It can also create a stronger sense of place than a short flight between two airports.

For Taiwan, this presents a particularly useful tourism opportunity.

The island has dramatic mountains, coastal landscapes, indigenous cultures, historic towns, tea-growing regions and distinctive food traditions.

Scenic railways can connect these elements into experiences that are difficult to reproduce through conventional city-based tourism.

The LionTrip App Adds a Digital Layer

The physical travel experience is only one part of Lion Travel’s strategy.

The company is also promoting LionTrip, its multilingual and multicurrency global travel application.

The idea is to create a more seamless journey from planning to booking and eventually to the destination experience. (PR Newswire)

This reflects another major change in the travel industry.

Travelers increasingly expect digital tools to accompany them throughout the entire journey.

They may discover an experience through an app, compare options, make a booking, receive travel information, access local services and manage their itinerary from the same device.

For an international travel company, multilingual and multicurrency capabilities can make the difference between a service that feels locally accessible and one that feels complicated to overseas customers.

The combination of physical travel infrastructure and digital technology is therefore becoming increasingly important.

Working Directly With Japanese Local Governments

Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of Lion Travel Japan’s strategy is its collaboration with Japanese local governments.

The company says it works directly with municipalities in Japan on tourism promotion and visitor-attraction initiatives rather than always operating through third parties. (PR Newswire)

That approach places the company in a role that goes beyond selling tours.

Local governments are often searching for ways to attract visitors to areas outside the most famous tourist centers.

Travel companies can help transform that objective into actual travel products.

A municipality may have an attractive landscape, a cultural festival, traditional crafts or distinctive cuisine, but international travelers need transportation, accommodation, information and an organized reason to visit.

Travel operators can connect those pieces.

This type of collaboration can also help distribute tourism spending more widely.

When visitors move beyond major metropolitan destinations, hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, attractions and local businesses in regional communities can participate in the tourism economy.

The Outbound Opportunity From Japan

Lion Travel Japan is not focusing exclusively on bringing international travelers into Japan.

The company is also developing outbound travel from Japan.

Lion Travel cites approximately 14.73 million Japanese overseas travelers in 2025, describing the market as being on a recovery trend. (PR Newswire)

That creates another opportunity.

A Japanese travel customer does not necessarily need a Japan-based travel product.

The customer may be interested in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Europe, North America or Australia.

Lion Travel’s international network provides the infrastructure to support those journeys.

This is where the company’s broader global footprint becomes relevant.

Lion Travel Service has established operations or service bases across markets including China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, according to the company’s announcement. (PR Newswire)

For Lion Travel Japan, that means Japan can become a hub within a much larger network.

Why the “Global Travel Train” Concept Makes Sense

The railway theme at Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 is therefore more than a creative exhibition design.

It captures the company’s business strategy.

A railway station is fundamentally a place of connection.

One train arrives as another departs.

Different passengers travel in different directions.

A station links cities, regions and countries.

Lion Travel is presenting itself in much the same way.

Taiwan connects with Japan.

Japan connects with the rest of Asia.

Travelers from Europe, North America and Oceania can enter the same network.

Destinations become markets, and markets become destinations.

That is the logic behind the company’s stated ambition to make the world its market while positioning Japan as a major destination within that network. (PR Newswire)

What This Means for Japan’s Regional Tourism

One of the most interesting implications of Lion Travel Japan’s expansion is its potential contribution to regional tourism.

Japan’s international tourism success has also created challenges.

The most famous destinations can become extremely busy, particularly during peak travel seasons.

At the same time, many regional communities are looking for ways to increase tourism demand.

The answer is not necessarily to reduce interest in famous destinations.

Instead, a more diversified tourism system can encourage travelers to explore additional regions.

Travel companies can play a role by developing products that make those destinations easier to access.

A scenic bus route can connect smaller towns.

A railway itinerary can transform a remote region into a journey.

A local-government partnership can bring a previously unfamiliar destination to international buyers.

And a digital platform can make the experience easier to discover and book.

This is where Lion Travel Japan’s combination of local offices, global networks, tours and technology becomes particularly relevant.

Tourism Is Becoming More Experiential

The Lion Travel presentation also reflects a broader shift in how people define value in tourism.

For many years, travel marketing focused heavily on destinations.

A brochure might show a famous landmark, a beautiful hotel or an attractive beach.

Today, travelers increasingly seek experiences.

They want to know what they will do, not simply where they will go.

This is why experiences such as scenic trains, culinary journeys, local bus tours and community-based tourism have become increasingly important.

The traveler is no longer merely a spectator.

They become part of the journey.

Lion Travel’s booth is designed to communicate that philosophy before visitors even leave the exhibition hall.

The sound, images, fragrance and railway-station environment are intended to turn a business exhibition into a miniature travel experience. (PR Newswire)

Taiwan’s Tourism Story Gains a Global Platform

Although Lion Travel Japan is the immediate focus of the Tourism EXPO Japan appearance, the exhibition also creates a platform for Taiwan’s broader tourism story.

The official Tourism EXPO Japan exhibitor directory lists Lion Travel Service among the co-exhibitors associated with Taiwan’s tourism presence. The Taiwan Pavilion brings together tourism organizations, local governments, hotels, attractions and travel businesses under the theme “Taiwan 100 Ways.” (T-Expo)

That provides useful context.

Taiwan is not being presented simply as a single urban destination.

Its tourism offering includes scenic railways, cuisine, cultural experiences and regional destinations.

Lion Travel’s railway products fit naturally into this wider presentation because they demonstrate how transportation can become an attraction in its own right.

The Importance of Local Knowledge

Global travel networks are valuable, but international scale alone does not guarantee a strong travel experience.

Tourism remains intensely local.

Knowing the best route through a region, understanding seasonal conditions, working with local suppliers and communicating with municipalities can make a substantial difference.

This is one reason Lion Travel Japan’s local presence matters.

Its Okinawa branch gives it an operational base in the islands.

Its Kumamoto presence gives it another foothold in Kyushu.

Its relationships with Japanese municipalities create opportunities for destination-specific development.

The result is a model that combines global reach with local execution.

That balance is increasingly important as travelers move beyond standardized package tours.

A Different Future for the Travel Agency

Lion Travel’s appearance at Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 also raises a broader question: what does a travel agency look like in the digital age?

The traditional image of a travel agency is a storefront where customers purchase tickets and tours.

That model has changed dramatically.

Travelers can now book flights, hotels and activities directly from smartphones.

As a result, travel companies increasingly need to offer something more valuable than simple transactions.

They need expertise.

They need unique products.

They need reliable local operations.

They need destination relationships.

And they need technology that simplifies the journey.

Lion Travel’s strategy combines these elements.

The company is using its experience in Taiwan to develop premium products, its international network to reach overseas markets, its Japanese subsidiary to provide local services and its digital platform to connect travelers with products.

That is a considerably broader role than traditional ticketing.

Why Scenic Rail Could Become a Signature Product

Among all the elements being showcased, scenic railway travel may ultimately prove especially important to Lion Travel’s international identity.

Rail tourism has several advantages.

It is visually compelling.

It is relatively easy to communicate through photography and video.

It creates a strong sense of movement.

It connects destinations naturally.

And it can incorporate dining, hospitality and storytelling into the journey.

For international travelers, scenic trains can also provide an alternative to conventional sightseeing.

Instead of spending a day moving quickly between attractions, passengers can slow down and experience the landscape.

Taiwan’s geography makes this particularly attractive.

The island’s mountains, coastlines and historic railway corridors offer numerous possibilities for journeys that combine transportation with scenery and culture.

By bringing its premium rail concepts to an international tourism audience, Lion Travel is effectively presenting Taiwan through a different lens.

A Bridge Between Three Tourism Markets

The most important phrase in Lion Travel’s Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 strategy may be Japan, Taiwan and the world.

Those three elements describe the company’s intended position.

Taiwan is its home market and the source of much of its product expertise.

Japan is a major tourism market with strong inbound demand and a recovering outbound market.

The rest of the world provides the international customer base and destinations necessary to support a genuinely global travel business.

Lion Travel Japan sits at the intersection of all three.

Its role is therefore not simply to sell Japan to Taiwanese travelers.

It is to facilitate movement in multiple directions.

A traveler can come from Taiwan to Japan.

Another can travel from Japan to Taiwan.

A third can arrive in Japan from another country.

A fourth can use Japan as part of a wider international itinerary.

That is the essence of the company’s global-market approach.

Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 Could Mark a New Chapter

Lion Travel Japan’s first dedicated booth at Tourism EXPO Japan represents an important milestone in the company’s international expansion.

The exhibition itself provides the stage, but the strategy extends far beyond four days in Tokyo.

The company is building Japanese operations, developing regional partnerships, expanding its bus-tour business, promoting outbound travel and bringing Taiwanese railway experiences to international audiences.

At the same time, it is connecting these physical experiences with digital technology through LionTrip.

The result is a tourism model built around connections rather than individual products.

The timing is also significant.

Japan has reached unprecedented levels of international visitation, Taiwan remains one of its most important visitor markets, and Japanese overseas travel is recovering. (PR Newswire)

Those conditions create an environment in which travel companies with international networks can play a growing role.

The Bigger Tourism Trend Behind Lion Travel

There is a deeper story here than one company’s exhibition debut.

Tourism across Asia is becoming more interconnected.

Travelers are increasingly comfortable combining multiple countries in a single journey.

Digital platforms make international booking easier.

Regional destinations are searching for new ways to attract visitors.

Local governments want tourism products that generate broader economic benefits.

And travelers themselves are looking for experiences that feel more personal and memorable.

The travel companies that can connect these needs are likely to occupy an increasingly important position in the tourism ecosystem.

Lion Travel’s strategy provides one example of how that model is taking shape.

Its Japanese subsidiary provides local infrastructure.

Its global network provides international reach.

Its scenic railway portfolio provides distinctive experiences.

Its bus tours provide regional accessibility.

Its digital platform provides a technological connection.

And its partnerships with local governments provide a destination-development dimension.

A Journey That Goes Beyond the Destination

The most fitting way to understand Lion Travel’s Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 debut may be to return to its railway concept.

A train journey is never only about the station where it ends.

There is anticipation before departure.

There are landscapes outside the window.

There are conversations, meals and unexpected views along the way.

There are stops that may become more memorable than the final destination.

Modern tourism is moving in a similar direction.

Travelers increasingly value the journey itself.

Lion Travel is placing that idea at the center of its international presentation.

By transforming its Tourism EXPO Japan booth into a station connecting Taiwan, Japan and the world, the company is presenting a vision of tourism in which destinations are linked through experiences, technology and human connections.

Its first dedicated appearance at Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 therefore represents more than an expansion of exhibition space.

It is a public expression of a larger ambition: to build a global tourism network in which Japan serves as an important gateway, Taiwan provides distinctive travel experiences, regional communities gain new opportunities, and travelers can move between markets with fewer boundaries.

As international tourism continues to evolve, that interconnected model could become increasingly central to the way people discover Asia and the wider world.

For Lion Travel Japan, the journey is already underway.

And at Tokyo Big Sight this week, the company is inviting visitors to step onto the platform. (PR Newswire)

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About the Author: Zoey
Zoey is a passionate travel writer and researcher at VentureWibe, dedicated to bringing readers the latest global travel news, inspiring destination guides, and tourism trends from around the world. With a keen eye for uncovering unique travel stories, Zoey helps explorers stay informed and prepared for their next adventures.

Expertise: Global Tourism, Destination Research, and Travel Insights