SPEAKERS
Senior Product Director, Trip.com Group /
Founder, TripGenie/TrainPal /
Head of AI, Search & Public Products
Amy Wei
Amy Wei is the Senior Product Director at Trip.com Group, where she exemplifies seasoned leadership in steering innovative product developments across diverse platforms including the Trip.com app, desktop, and mobile sites. Under her leadership, Amy oversaw the successful integration and launch of the revolutionary AI assistant TripGen on February 17, 2023, marking one of the first instances an OTA integrated advanced AI into its mobile app. Its successor, TripGenie, launched on July 26, 2023, employs cutting-edge large language model technologies to revolutionize travel planning and booking. It offers capabilities ranging from crafting detailed itineraries to facilitating instant bookings through both text and voice commands, and enhances user interactions with intelligently displayed images and links, leading to swift navigation within the app.
Prior to her tenure at Trip.com Group, Amy held significant roles in product management at global tech giants including Amazon, Motorola, and Nokia. In 2015, she transitioned to Qunar, a subsidiary of Trip.com Group, spearheading its international expansion in airline ticketing. Later, as the CEO of Trip.com Group’s global train ticketing division, she launched TrainPal in February 2018. This innovative platform for train and bus bookings saw unprecedented growth in the European markets, achieving a 520-fold increase in monthly ticket volume within 20 months, and becoming the second most popular booking service in the UK since 2019.
Amy holds an MBA from Tsinghua University and a Bachelor’s degree from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. She is renowned for her global perspective, exceptional leadership skills, and her adeptness at nurturing international businesses from inception to market leadership, consistently driving outstanding results.
CEO & Co-founder
SocialSeal
Angelica Handover
Angelica is the co-founder of SocialSeal, a startup that helps travel brands see what travelers are searching for and resonating with on video platforms across different countries and languages.
A growth marketer and data geek for over 10 years, Angelica has lived through the rise of apps at M&C Saatchi Performance, hopped on the Klook rocket ship to scale it into today’s unicorn, and grew Google’s consumer cloud storage through partner marketing.
Homes and Hotel Supply
Airbnb Japan
Atsuo Mori
Atsuo Mori leads Homes and Hotel Supply at Airbnb Japan, where he oversees supply strategy and growth. He is responsible for expanding and strengthening Airbnb’s network of hosts and partners across Japan.
Atsuo brings nearly two decades of experience across technology and strategy consulting. Prior to joining Airbnb in 2017, he held roles at leading consulting firms such as PwC and Kearney, as well as Microsoft Japan. At Microsoft, Atsuo worked on product management to help drive go-to-market strategy, product positioning and consumer adoption for one of the world’s most widely used technology platforms. Across his career, he has also advised on corporate strategy, public-private partnerships and large-scale development initiatives, working with both government and enterprise clients in Japan and international markets.
He holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of Sussex and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Waseda University.
Executive Officer, Tourism Business
Headquarters in Charge of Web, Marketing
& Customer Strategy
JTB Corp.
Atsushi Ikeguchi
After joining JTB and experienced corporate sales, he was in charge of e-commerce sales for many years.
Involved in e-commerce business development, and in 2006 he was involved in the launch of the Rurubu Travel site.
Since 2019, he has been in charge of web management and DX at the tourism business headquarters.
Since 2022, he has been the Head of Web Sales Division, Executive Officer of JTB Corp.
From April 2026, he became Executive Officer in charge of Web Strategy, Marketing Strategy, Customer Strategy at the tourism business headquarters.
Co-founder & CEO, PerkUP Inc. /
Co-founder, WiT Japan
Aya Aso
Started her career in the hospitality industry in Los Angeles and later returned to Japan, she has engaged in marketing at Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel. Left the hotel industry once, joined Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, PricewaterhouseCoopers BPO and Chuo Aoyama Audit Corporation as an accounting auditor and business process consultant.
Established Agora Hospitalities after leaving corporate career in 2007. Founded the company with a vision to establish, under “A Collection of Beautiful Japan”, a portfolio of boutique hotels and traditional ryokans representing the soul of Japan. Under her tenure (2007-2017), the collection comprised 13 properties.
She founded her second hotel management company, SAVVY Collective, Inc. (2017- ), to provide hospitality business solutions with a Luxury & Lifestyle concepts.
Prior to AGORA, she was a Senior Vice President of Business Development for ISHIN Hotels Group (2003-2007) and an Executive Director of Operations at Space Design Inc. developed and operated 14 serviced apartments in Tokyo.
Graduated from the University of Southern California (USA) with a Bachelor of Music from Thornton School of Music, Piano Performance. She also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from University of Wales (UK).
President, Asia Pacific
WebBeds
Brett Henry
Highly respected travel industry executive and e-commerce innovator, Mr. Brett Henry serves as President – Asia Pacific at WebBeds, following a successful 25-year career with Abacus, Sabre and MG Group.
A highly respected travel executive and e-commerce innovator, Brett brings more than 25 years of experience to the role, including senior leadership positions with a series of major companies.
Having joined Abacus International in 2006, he enjoyed six highly productive years at the Singapore-based company as Vice President of Product Marketing, where he successfully established industry-leading products and executed influential events. Then, as Vice President of Sales for Sabre, he delivered multiple consecutive years of record-breaking revenue.
Most recently as President Director of MG Group, Brett led this Southeast Asian B2B hospitality company through a full platform modernisation program and increased its profitability. This turnaround positioned it for a successful acquisition by Creador, the private equity firm.
At WebBeds, Brett heads up the group’s extensive APAC division, which spans a network of 12 regional commercial offices and 139 talented travel professionals. His mandate is to grow revenue, improve margins, and make WebBeds the strongest B2B partner in the region.
Based in Singapore, he works closely with suppliers and clients across APAC to strengthen WebBeds’ commercial performance and expand its footprint in one of the world’s most competitive travel markets. With a reputation for building disciplined teams, running efficient operations, and holding a high bar for performance, his arrival establishes an exciting new era for the company.
Head of Visa Commercial Solutions,
Large Mid-Market Segment, Asia Pacific
Visa
Carol Ho
Carol Ho leads the Large Middle-Market segment for Visa Commercial Solutions in Asia Pacific.
Her team drives growth for Visa’s commercial portfolio, working closely with enterprise clients, mid-market companies, and government entities. She collaborates across the B2B travel ecosystem, partnering with issuers, acquirers, fintechs, travel management companies and OTAs, to deliver tailored payment solutions that streamline corporate travel, wholesale travel. Beyond travel, her team drives innovative payment solutions in fleet and mobility and emerging verticals focusing on B2B procurement, and embedded payments. By leveraging Visa’s value-added solutions including virtual payments, data delivery, and acceptance solutions, her team enables businesses to optimize spend and unlock new value in payments.
With over 20 years of experience in payments and financial services, Carol’s career spans key roles in Credit, Corporate Banking, and Transaction Banking at JPMorgan Chase Bank and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, both in Asia Pacific and the US. She began in finance and treasury with a global multinational, giving her unique insight into the needs of businesses navigating international travel and payments.
As a senior woman leader in payments, Carol supports programs in mentoring young talent in the financial services industry.
Research Manager
Phocuswright
Coney Dongre
Ms. Dongre joined Phocuswright in 2014. Coney supports various syndicated, special and custom projects and helps the team in data collation and management. She is adept in travel market sizing and travel trends’ analysis. She is the author or co-author of Phocuswright’s annual reports for different regions, with a focus on the APAC travel market. Coney is a frequent speaker at Phocuswright’s conferences and other strategic company partner events.
Prior to joining Phocuswright, Coney worked as an IT consultant with Infosys Limited, where she used her analytical skills to understand the requirements for projects and lay a foundation for project development. Coney is an engineering graduate from Bhopal University and holds an M.B.A. (marketing) from Symbiosis University. Apart from work, Coney enjoys gardening and bird-watching.
President & CEO
JTB Corp.
Eijiro Yamakita
The JTB Group traces its roots back to 1912 when “Japan Tourist Bureau” was formed to attract international travelers to Japan and assist with their travel needs. While our activities and clientele have expanded greatly since then, the JTB Group remains aligned around a core purpose: bringing people, places and possibilities together.
Over an 18-year career at JTB, Eijiro Yamakita was involved in the development of the company’s global strategy and then moved to Europe, where he was appointed to be a top management at the forefront of the company’s global business. Prior to becoming a Managing Executive Officer, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kuoni Travel Investment Ltd and the European Head of JTB Group for 3 years. At the beginning of the year he returned to Japan, then became President and CEO of JTB Corp.
CEO
OAG
Filip Filipov
Filip Filipov is CEO of OAG, leading the company’s next phase of growth in aviation data, analytics and AI. A former Skyscanner product and strategy leader, he joined OAG as COO to scale global operations and accelerate the product roadmap. Filip is known for customer-first decision making, turning complex data into outcomes, and building high-performance teams under pressure.
Founder
GENIUS LAB (Suminasu Co., Ltd. & LLC)
Fumihiko Nishimura
Guided by his personal mission to “transform what society labels as ‘difficulty in living’ into something interesting and valuable,” Fumihiko Nishimura founded Suminasu Co., Ltd. and Suminasu LLC. Under the powerful banner “Everyone is a genius,” he leads an art collective that challenges traditional perceptions of disability through creativity.
At the heart of his work is GENIUS LAB, a specialized studio that provides an end-to-end platform—from training to production—for individuals with mental health challenges. By identifying and nurturing these unique talents, Nishimura has established an IP-driven business model that brings their artworks to the global market as high-value intellectual property. His portfolio also includes “MY genius,” an art program for individual self-expression, and “OUR genius,” a corporate development program focused on fostering autonomous and creative talent.
Nishimura’s impact on the startup ecosystem has been widely recognized. He was selected for “J-Startup KYUSHU” in 2022 and named to the “Forbes JAPAN NEXT100” in 2024. In 2025, he was appointed as an Entrepreneurship Promotion Ambassador by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan.
Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, he actively shares his vision for a neurodiverse and creative society as the host of the podcast series, “We are GENIUS!”.
COO
Section L
Gavin Weightman
Head of Global Stay
MyRealTrip
Hanbyeol Lee
Hanbyeol Lee is the Head of Global Accommodation at MyRealTrip, one of Korea’s leading online travel platforms. She leads the company’s international accommodation business, driving strategy, supply expansion, and partnerships to accelerate growth across global markets.
With a decade of experience in senior communications and executive roles across gaming, media, and tech industries, she brings a cross-industry perspective and a sharp eye for navigating complex, fast-moving industries.
Her current focus is on establishing global accommodation as a core growth engine for Myrealtip – through strong supply partnerships, market expansion, and cross-functional execution in a rapidly evolving hospitality landscape.
General Manager, Japan
Scoot
Hidetoshi Yasutake
Hidetoshi Yasutake is the General Manager for Japan at Scoot since September 2025. He is responsible for Sales. Marketing, Business Strategy and Development and Operations in the Japanese market.
With over 35 years of experience in the aviation industry, Mr Yasutake brings a wealth of expertise to the Japanese market. Prior to joining Scoot he held several key leadership positions in corporate and passenger sales at Singapore Airlines (SIA). In 2022, he served as Corporate Sales Manager, Japan, where he spearheaded nationwide corporate sales strategies, leading partnerships with travel agencies and nurturing strong relationships with corporate clients. His
initiatives have included expanding corporate sales programs and fostering collaboration with business associations, tourism boards, and airport authorities, strengthening customer engagement and enhancing revenue.
From 2009 to 2021, he led the Chubu region as Passenger Sales Manager Chubu, directing sales efforts across both leisure and business segments and championing regional alliances. In his earlier tenure, he managed passenger sales in Kyushu, building strong ties with key travel agencies and gaining comprehensive industry experience across diverse business functions.
Drawing on his extensive expertise within the SIA Group. Mr Yasutake is committed to driving continued growth and development for Scoot in Japan.
Founder & CEO, comeal Inc. /
Former founder, trippiece
Ian Ishida
I am the founder of comeal and the former founder of trippiece, a travel-tech startup that built community and media fo travel.
Currently, I lead comeal, where I produce restaurants and create immersive food experiences for inbound travelers to Japan. I collaborate with Michelin-starred chefs across Japan to design foraging tours and experiential dining events that connect people with local food culture and nature.
I am also developing new projects to introduce Japanese traditional crafts—such as handcrafted kitchen knives—to a global audience.
20th-Generation Head of
Yunushi Ichijo Ryokan
Ippei Ichijo
The first generation of the Ichijoh family came to our current location from Kyoto after losing the Battle of Okehazama in 1560. Counting from there, I am the 20th generation of the family, and as a rule, the eldest son has preserred the family’s legacy for over 460 years.
・1999: I left my job at a hotel in Tokyo and returned home to join the family business ,Ichijoh Ryokan.
・2003: Generation change due to sudden death of 19th generation (father)
I questioned the conventional wisdom of inns and incorporated my hotel experience.
I repurposed a former hot spring resort into a private restaurant called “Shoan,” gaining acclaim.
・2008: Complete renovation of the ryokan.
・2011: Reopened after a 40-day closure following the Great East Japan Earthquake. By retaining all staff, we were able to seamlessly meat the recovery in demand.
・2014: With court permission, I officially changed my name to Ippei and became the 20th-generation head of the Ichijoh family. (Childhood name: Tatsuya)
・2015: The Yukawa Project is launched.
・2019: The project’s rough estimate is released.
・2020: The project is temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
・2022: When the estimate is revised to restart the project, the initial budget of 810 million yen is increased to 1.6 billion yen.
・2024: Construction begins after a syndicated loan is secured.
・2025: With a final investment of 1.8 billion yen, THE YUKAWA Ichijoh Branch is completed on September 2nd. 11 rooms in total.
About THE YUKAWA Ichijoh Branch
Concept: “Return to the Origins” – Revisiting the Spirit of the Ichijoh Family’s Founder
Theme: “Imperial Villa” – The Ichijoh family, descended from a noble family in Kyoto.
一條家の初代は1560年の桶狭間の戦いに敗れたことにより、京都から現在の地にやってきました。そこから数えて私が20代目となり、460年以上の歴史を原則長男が繋いでいます。
1999年都内のホテルを辞めて帰郷し、合資会社一條旅舘に入社。
2003年19代目（父）の急逝により世代交代。
これまでの旅館の常識を疑い、ホテルでの経験を取り入れる。
湯治場だった客室を、個室料亭「匠庵（しょうあん）」として再活用し評判を得る。
2008年：館内の総リニューアル。
2011年：東日本大震災では40日間の休業後再開。スタッフを解雇しなかったことで、その
後の需要に対応することができた。
2014年：裁判所の許可を得て一平に改名。正真正銘の一條家20代目当主となる。
（幼名：達也）
2015年：湯川プロジェクトが立ち上がる。
2019年：プロジェクトの概算が出る。
2020年：新型コロナ禍によりプロジェクト一時中断。
2022年：再始動のため再見積もりをしたところ、当初予算8.1億円に対し16億円に増額。
2024年：シンジケートローン組成ができたため着工。
2025年：最終的に総額18億円投資で、9月2日THE YUKAWA一條支店竣工。全11室。
THE YUKAWA一條支店について
コンセプト「原点回帰」 一條家初代の気持ち立ち返って
テーマ「御用邸」 京都の公家の出である一條
添付資料
THE YUKAWA一條支店ブランド解説
CEO & Co-founder
Seek Sophie
Jacinta Lim
Jacinta, co-founder of Seek Sophie, is a serial entrepreneur driven by the power of business to create positive change. From closing billion-dollar deals as an M&A lawyer at Linklaters, a top London law firm, to scaling a micro-insurance start-up that transformed millions of lives across Asia and Africa, her career has always been about impact.
But it was her travel adventures in over 60 countries that ignited her deepest passion. Jacinta saw firsthand how tourism could uplift communities and safeguard the environment, and was inspired to redefine how we travel. She founded Seek Sophie with a mission: to make travel a force for good, empowering local communities and safeguarding the planet we explore.
Seek Sophie now operates in 7 countries, offering earth-friendly adventures that empower thousands of small businesses across Asia. Jacinta’s vision is proof that sustainable tourism isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a movement, and it’s changing the way we experience the world.
Co-founder
Dida
James Jin
Since 2014, he has focused on building and scaling a global B2B travel platform, building cloud-native, distributed real-time systems and data pipelines that process 6.9B+ search requests per day and sustain 80K+ inventory (availability) queries per second across operations in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. He has implemented AI-driven pricing and cross-border payments, and streamlined engineering organization and delivery practices to reduce cross-functional delays by 40%, strengthening the alignment between technology and business.
Head of Customer Travel & Lifestyle
for Northeast Asia
Cathay Pacific Airways
Jason Choi
Jason Choi is Head of Customer Travel and Lifestyle for Northeast Asia at Cathay Pacific, leading revenue growth, go-to-market strategy, and partnership ecosystems across Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
With over 13 years of airline experience, Jason has held leadership roles across multiple markets, including the Chinese Mainland, Vietnam, and Cambodia, driving commercial development and operations in complex and fast-evolving environments. He also brings experience from airline network planning, contributing to passenger growth across Southeast Asia and the Americas.
He drives market-specific commercial strategies across three distinct markets, translating local dynamics into sustainable revenue growth through a data-driven approach. He also shapes teams and capabilities for the next phase of the industry.
Senior Director, Global Travel Partnerships
Visa
Jay Patel
Jay has spent over five years at Visa, holding roles across the Commercial Solutions organisation. During this time, he managed a range of Visa’s European commercial issuers before playing a key role in establishing the Global B2B Travel team. He went on to assume global responsibility for Visa’s key strategic partner within the travel vertical, helping to drive partnership strategy and commercial payments innovation across the global travel ecosystem.
Prior to Visa, Jay spent seven years at AirPlus International as Head of Sales and Partnerships, and two years at Barclaycard Commercial, building deep expertise in commercial payments and their application across the travel industry. Jay resides in North London with his wife, eleven-year-old son, and dog. He enjoys participating in sports, cooking, listening to music, and traveling.
Senior Advisor
Wisdom Tree Investment Inc.
Jesper Koll
Jesper Koll has been researching and investing in Japan since becoming a resident in 1986. Over the past two decades, Jesper has been consistently recognized as one of the top Japan strategists/economists, having worked as Chief Strategist and Head of Research for U.S. investment banks J.P. Morgan and Merrill Lynch. He currently serves as Expert Director for the Monex Group and the Japan Catalyst Fund (Japan’s 1st retail investor based corpo- rate engagement/activist fund). His analysis and insights have earned him a position on several Japanese government and corporate advisory committees, including Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike’s Advisory Board. In 2022, he was appointed Global Ambassador for Tokyo’s Financial Center initiative. Jesper serves as a member of Board of Governor of OIST, the Okinawa Institute for Science and Technology and is a Founder and Board Director of the Asia Society Japan and heads their Policy Committee. He is one of the few non-Japanese members of the Keizai Doyukai, the Japan Association of Corporate Executives; and serves on the board of several Japan-based start-ups. He has written three books in Japanese and, in 2021, created the acclaimed video/pod-cast series “Japan – Capitalism that works”.
Jesper is an economist, angel-investor, patron; and yes, a Japan Optimist.
Co-founder & CEO
HeyMax
Joe Lu
Joe Lu is the co-founder and CEO of HeyMax, a fintech startup helping consumers earn more travel rewards – Max Miles – through smarter spending. A former engineering leader at Facebook Singapore, Joe launched HeyMax in 2023 after a sabbatical in Japan, aiming to make travel more accessible by turning everyday purchases into Max Miles. Under his leadership, HeyMax has grown rapidly across Asia, partnering with hundreds of merchants and airlines to power the emerging Traveller Economy.
Vice President, Marketing
ZIPAIR
Katsuya Seki
Katsuya Seki is Vice President of Marketing at ZIPAIR Tokyo Inc. He spent a decade at Japan Airlines, specialising in airport operations and IT, before transitioning to ZIPAIR’s marketing team in 2024.
Co-founder & former CEO, TRAVEL.jp
(Venture Republic Inc.) & Trip101 /
Co-founder, WiT Japan
Kei Shibata
Kei is a Singapore- and Tokyo-based travel tech entrepreneur with over two decades of experience building and scaling global travel platforms. He co-founded Venture Republic in 2001 and Trip101 in 2015, leading both companies as CEO through an IPO, management buyout, and four exits.
He is the co-founder of TRAVEL.jp, one of Japan’s leading travel metasearch and media platforms, and Trip101, a Singapore-based global travel content platform reaching users in over 200 countries.
Kei is also an early-stage angel investor, primarily in travel and technology across the Asia-Pacific region, with more than a dozen investments.
He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Keio University.
Backcountry snowboarder. Former cross-country and alpine ski competitor. Loves jazz, coffee, and working from vacation homes.
Founder & CEO
KabuK Style Inc.
KJ Sunada
KJ Sunada is the Founder & CEO of KabuK Style Inc., a travel-fintech startup founded in 2019 and the company behind HafH, Japan’s subscription travel service with over 120,000 members. HafH lets travelers book accommodations by paying a fixed monthly fee, a model built on KJ’s over a decade of experience in capital markets, financial engineering, and structured finance. KabuK Style was named one of PhocusWire’s Hottest 25 Travel Startups in 2024.
Beyond KabuK, KJ contributes to the travel-tech community as a founder. He runs an open-source MCP project that scrapes and unifies public hotel and tourism data from across Japan, making local destinations accessible to a global audience without advertising cost. It is his way of giving smaller regions a voice in the world.
Chief Design Officer & Product Manager
LOVOT, GROOVE X
Kota Nezu
Born in Tokyo in 1969, Kota Nezu graduated from the Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Engineering at Chiba University. After a career at Toyota Motor Corporation, where he served as the concept development leader for the “i-unit” at Expo 2005 Aichi, he established znug design, inc. in 2005. Nezu specializes in the concept planning and design of a wide array of industrial products and is dedicated to revitalizing the creative activities of manufacturing companies.
His representative projects include the electric motorcycle “zecOO,” developed under the theme “From local workshops to the world,” and “rimOnO,” a soft, fabric-based ultra-compact mobility vehicle. His diverse portfolio also features high-profile collaborations such as Jinki Ittai’s “Reishiki Jinki,” SECOM’s security robot “cocobo,” GROOVE X’s “LOVOT,” and Toyota’s concept cars “Camatte” and “Setsuna.” He has also contributed to the design of the Daihatsu “COPEN,” THERMOS vacuum-insulated mobile mugs (JMY, JNL, JNR), Afternoon Tea “LUNCH WARE,” and Tamiya Mini 4WD models including “Astralster,” “RAIKIRI,” and “ELEGLITTER.”
Nezu’s work has been showcased at prestigious global design events, including Milan’s Salone del Mobile “Satellite” and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “JAPAN DESIGN +” at Maison et Objet in Paris. His excellence in design has been recognized with numerous awards, such as the Nikkei Excellent Products and Services Grand Prix 2022 for “cocobo,” the Good Design Gold Award 2020 and CES 2020 Innovation Award for “LOVOT,” and the Japan Wood Design Award 2016 Grand Prix for “Setsuna.”
Currently, he serves as a Professor at Chiba University’s Faculty of Engineering (since 2022) and has been a member of the Good Design Award judging committee since 2014. He also holds positions as the Chief Design Officer of GROOVE X, Design Advisor for Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., and Partner at hide kasuga & Partners. He is the author of Ideas are Found Within the Enemy (Chuo Koron Shinsha) and Car Design Draws the Future (PLANETS).
Gastronomy Producer / President of
Japan Gastronomy Association
Kotaro Kashiwabara
Gastronomy Producer | President, Japan Gastronomy Association
Principal, “Shoku no Netchu Shogakko (Food Passion School)” | Advisor to Kitakyushu City (Food Attraction Strategy) | CEO, Kassie & Co., Inc.
Born in 1963, Kotaro Kashiwabara is a leading gastronomy producer in Japan. After graduating from Keio University, he began his career at Bungeishunju Ltd., one of Japan’s most prestigious publishing companies.
He is currently the CEO of Kassie & Co., Inc., President of the Japan Gastronomy Association, and Principal of “Shoku no Netchu Shogakko (Food Passion School),” an educational initiative dedicated to cultivating future leaders in food and gastronomy. He also serves as an Advisor to Kitakyushu City, overseeing its food attraction and gastronomic branding strategy.
In addition, Mr. Kashiwabara is a jury member for the Gastronomy City Award and a selection committee member for the Luxury Japan Award, among other roles.
He is the author of several influential books, including “Japan as a Gastronomic Nation: The Rise of Gastronomy Tourism,” “Tokyo’s Great Restaurants, Successful Restaurants,” and “What the World’s Wealthiest Eat in Japan: The Frontline of Gastronomy Tourism.”
Owner
Beniayu
Kyohei Yamamoto
Kyohei Yamamoto began his career while still in university, mainly working in customer service fields such as the bridal industry. From an early stage, he gained experience in jobs that involve working closely with people.
After graduating, he joined the Embassy of Japan in Croatia in 2001. During his time there, he helped support the visit of members of the Imperial Family to Croatia. After returning to Japan, he worked at Beige Alain Ducasse Tokyo. He later worked as a tour guide in the travel industry, and from 2006, he joined an international exchange organization. There, he took part in youth exchange programs between Japan and ASEAN countries run by the Japanese government.
In April 2008, he joined his family’s ryokan, Beniayu, in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture. After gaining experience in daily operations, he became involved in management. In 2019, during the COVID-19 period, he also joined the operation of a nearby roadside station, Kohoku Mizudori Station. Alongside running the ryokan, he has actively worked on projects that make use of empty houses and local resources, together with local elementary schools and farming and fishing groups. A sauna project by Lake Biwa, started the same year, was officially recognized by the Finnish government as a Japan satellite event for Sauna Day, helping create new travel experiences.
Currently, he serves as Vice Chairman of the local tourism association and is involved in regional tourism activities. He is also the representative of the small luxury ryokan network “Nihon Aji no Yado,” sharing the appeal of Japanese inns. In addition, he works with companies such as Fuji Dream Airlines, Shinki Bus, and Asuka Cruises to promote a new style of travel, where the journey itself—including transportation, destinations, and interactions with people—becomes part of the experience of discovery and enjoyment.
Area General Manager – Kyoto & Cluster General Manager
Dusit Thani Kyoto & ASAI Kyoto Shijo
Makoto Yamashita
Makoto Yamashita brings over 30 years of experience in hotel operations and marketing. After beginning his career at JAL Hotels (now Okura Nikko Hotels), he held senior leadership roles with Starwood Hotels & Resorts (now Marriott International) and Mori Trust Hotels & Resorts in Japan.
He successfully led the openings of Dusit Thani Kyoto and ASAI Kyoto Shijo, establishing a unique service philosophy that blends Thai gracious hospitality with Japanese Omotenashi. Under his leadership, Dusit Thani Kyoto has received prestigious recognitions including Forbes and MICHELIN accolades. He is also committed to sustainability, promoting community partnerships with areas such as Wazuka Tea plantation and Ohara Ferm to realize locally rooted, responsible hospitality.
Vice President, Digital APEC
Marriott International
Mark Shrives
Vice President, Global Management
Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide
Masaya Hasebe
A dynamic and results-driven marketing professional with expertise in driving revenue growth and optimizing direct booking strategies. Demonstrated proficiency in hotel operations and management, having held leadership roles such as Executive Assistant Manager in Bangkok, Thailand, and General Manager in Bali, Indonesia. Highly skilled in crafting and executing impactful marketing strategies, with a strong focus on distribution management, loyalty programs, strategic partnerships, and revenue optimization. Recognized for delivering measurable business outcomes and fostering sustainable growth in highly competitive markets.
Vice President, Travel Information Division,
SaaS Business Management
Recruit Co., Ltd.
Masaya Oono
Founding Partner & Director
Shizen Capital
Matthew Romaine
Chief Transformation Officer
VELTRA Corp.
Mayumi Nakamura Birt
Mayumi Nakamura Birt is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with over three decades of experience at the crossroads of technology and global business. Born in Japan and a naturalized American citizen with native fluency in both languages, she splits her time between Tokyo, Japan and Redmond, Washington — bringing a rare bicultural and trans-Pacific perspective to building and scaling tech-driven enterprises across the U.S. and Japan.
Mayumi currently serves as Chief Transformation & Operating Officer at VELTRA Corporation in Tokyo, where she leads company-wide operational strategy and digital transformation through AI, automation, and agile management. She is also Managing Partner of Ascent Partners, LLC, the consulting firm she founded in 2020. Her most notable project there was conceptualizing and implementing the destination management system for Hawaii’s State Park System — a platform that has generated over $100 million in revenue for the State of Hawaii and earned coverage in the New York Times and major media outlets nationwide.
Prior to founding Ascent Partners, Mayumi served for over two decades at Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. in Bellevue, Washington, rising from Sales Manager to President & CEO. She led a team of 50+ across U.S. offices, overseeing SaaS development, data center operations, M&A strategy — transforming the company from a traditional software product company into a Software-as-a-service company. She holds an MBA from Portland State University and completed the Minority Business Executive Program at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Tourism and Hospitality Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan.
Klook Kreator
(It's Jeff and Mel)
Mel
Mel is one half of the duo Jeff and Mel, the go-to guides for travelers looking to experience the “hidden” side of Japan. Going beyond famous landmarks and viral spots, they have built a strong community by creating insightful and informative content that spotlights hands-on workshops, traditional craftsmanship, and deep-dive cultural immersion across Japan.
Vice President, Market Management APAC
Expedia Group
Michael Dykes
Michael is leading the team who manage Expedia Group’s lodging inventory across Asia Pacific. In this role, he works with lodging supply partners to maximize their success and potential on the Expedia Group platform and stay ahead of digital innovation. He also works with peers across Expedia Group to create great traveller experiences and be an advocate for the APAC region.
Michael joined Expedia Group in 2015 as Representative Director. In his seven-year tenure with the company, he has built a unique B2B knowledge that can benefit all supply partners as they charter the complexities of the travel ecosystem. Prior to joining Expedia Group, Michael worked at Microsoft where his last role was Director of Corporate Accounts.
Michael holds a degree in Applied Mathematics from M.I.T. He was born in Okinawa (Japan) and raised in the U.S. from the age of 7.
Partner
Ascent Partners
Mike Birt
Mike Birt has spent five decades at the intersection of Japan, global health, and aging. He first visited Japan in 1975 and holds a doctorate in Japanese studies from Princeton University. In 1992, he co-founded a successful medical services company in Japan, drawing on extensive business experience that spans consulting, institutional leadership, and cross-border enterprise. He subsequently founded the Center for Health and Aging at the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) and the Pacific Health Summit connecting policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders across Asia-Pacific and the world. His work on Japan’s aging society began with an early article for the Wall Street Journal in 1990 and continues today through “Gray Tokyo”, a forthcoming course at Temple University Japan that examines how Tokyo serves as a global laboratory for how demographic change will reshape economics, technology, healthcare, and daily life. He alternates between Seattle and Tokyo with his wife and business partner, Mayumi.
Chief Refreshing Officer
Canyons Ltd
Mike Harris
After graduating with degrees in business and Japanese from university in New Zealand, Mike has been involved in adventure tourism in Japan since the early 90’s. As one of the pioneers of the industry he created Japan’s first canyoning company, Canyons, and is also credited with introducing international safety standards and best practices.
His 25 years in the Japan tourism industry at multiple levels have lead to a deep understanding of tourism marketing and management. He currently works at the national level for the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Tourism, Cool Japan Awards and Japan National Parks League, advising in areas of tourism strategy, operations and marketing.
Mike also works at the local level as a board member of the Minakami Tourism Association (DMO), chairman of the Minakami Outdoor Association, and also consults in many rural areas for adventure tourism, inbound tourism and destination development.
When he has free time you can find him exploring new Canyons around the world, backcountry skiing or enjoying a few craft beers while watching the rugby.
CEO & Co-founder
Meili
Mike McGearty
A senior travel industry executive with unparalleled experience of developing and leading global technology platforms, Mike’s ambition is for Meili to become the market leader in travel tech. As the former CEO of CarTrawler, Mike used his superior perspective on the mobility marketplace to oversee continual growth over a decade, the successful completion of two major private equity investments and multiple acquisitions. Mike’s commercial expertise and stellar track record make him uniquely qualified to guide Meili on its path to growth.
Corporate Development
Recruit Co.,Ltd.
Mizuho Hiraguri
Mizuho joined corporate development of Recruit Company in 2012. It owns and operates several search engines and booking platforms in travel, restaurant, beauty&salon, real estate, wedding sector and so on. They are also parent company of Indeed Inc. the world No,1 job search platform.
She focuses on topics such as transaction platforms, SaaS, mobile and online multinationals as well as equity funding for later staged ventures, internationalization and business extension, across the travel, restaurant and beauty&salon technology sector.
Currently she led the acquisition of Trustyou, and as a strategic investor, she is on the boards of multinational restaurant technology companies. During her career, Mizuho lived and worked in 3 countries within 3 years including experiences at World Employment Confederation former Ciett in Brussels.
Executive Director
Montara Hospitality Group
Morris Sim
Head of Strategy & Business Development,
Travel & Mobility
Rakuten Group, Inc.
Naohisa Minagawa
Naohisa has served as the Head of Strategy & Business Development for the Travel & Mobility Business at Rakuten group since 2021. In 2024, he expanded his responsibilities to include serving as the Head of the Mobility Business.
Naohisa began his career at Accenture and joined Rakuten in 2012. His expertise in strategy, business development and management has played a key role in driving new business initiatives and the rapid growth of every business he has been involved in.
Regional Director, North & South APAC
Booking.com
Nuno Guerreiro
Nuno Guerreiro serves as the Regional Director of North & South Asia Pacific for Partner Services at Booking.com, based in Singapore. In this role, he oversees strategy execution, partner engagement, and growth in some of Booking.com’s most rapidly expanding regions. Since joining Booking.com in 2007, Nuno has held various leadership positions. His extensive global experience includes roles across Europe, South America, North America, and Asia Pacific. Before joining Booking.com, Nuno successfully built and led teams within renowned hospitality organizations such as Starwood H&R and other regional Iberian travel related groups. He holds a BSc in Economics and in Hospitality Management.
CEO
Agoda
Omri Morgenshtern
Omri Morgenshtern is the Chief Executive Officer of Agoda, part of Booking Holdings (Nasdaq: BKNG). He was appointed in July 2022. In his former role as COO, Omri was instrumental in driving global operations, Product, Partner Services, and the Customer Experience Group.
Omri joined Agoda in 2014 as Senior Product Owner, Algorithms and Learning Systems, and was later promoted first to Vice President of Product Development, then to Chief Product Officer and Chief Operating Officer in 2018.
He was co-founder & CEO of Qlika, an award-winning UpWest Labs start-up specializing in online marketing optimization, which was acquired by Booking Holdings Inc. in 2014.
Omri received an M.S. Magna Cum Laude in Physics from Tel Aviv University and B.S. Cum Laude in Physics, Computer Science and Mathematics from The Hebrew University.
Chief Operating Officer
The Luxe Nomad
Patrick Ohtani
As Chief Operating Officer of The Luxe Nomad Japan, Patrick leads operations across Hokkaido’s premier destinations, including Niseko, Furano, and Rusutsu, home to some of Asia-Pacific’s most sought-after chalets and ski-in, ski-out properties. Under his leadership, the business has redefined modern alpine luxury in Japan, strengthened operational culture and delivered record performance.
Today, The Luxe Nomad is Asia-Pacific’s largest luxury vacation rental management company, curating 100+ properties across Hokkaido, Koh Samui, Phuket and Bali; a USD 63 million hospitality business that inspires travellers to “Dream a little. Travel a lot.”
Born in Canada to a Japanese father and Irish mother, and raised in the UK, Patrick brings a uniquely global perspective to his work. With more than 13 years of experience across Hokkaido’s ski, hospitality, tourism, and property management sectors, he has become known for navigating the complex intersection of Western and Japanese cultures, balancing international hospitality expectations with the precision and nuance of Japanese service.
Patrick has played a key role in shaping Niseko’s transformation from a niche ski town into an internationally recognised luxury destination. Beyond operations, he contributes to the broader industry as a representative director within Niseko Tourism, spearheading regional tourism initiatives that support the sustainable growth and global positioning of Niseko.
Vice President, APAC & META
HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions)
Raphael Lanfant
Raphael Lanfant is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience in the travel and technology sectors, specializing in the Asia-Pacific, China, and European/US markets. He currently serves as the Vice President of Hopper Technology Solutions (HTS) for the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions at Hopper, a prominent travel technology company. Based in Singapore, Raphael has been instrumental in forging strategic partnerships in APAC and helping airlines and travel sellers expand their footprint in the travel and fintech space. Before joining Hopper, Raphael held positions at Alibaba Group and Expedia, where he contributed to the company’s global expansion efforts.
Regional Director Asia Pacific
Catalan Tourism Board
Raul Guerra
Mr. Raul Guerra, based in Tokyo since 2017, is the Regional Director of Asia Pacific at the Catalan Tourism Board. In his capacity, Raul overseas operations in all the markets in Asia Pacific (ex-China), and leads the team located across the region. Currently, he also serves as a Director at ANTOR Japan.
From 2012 to 2017, Raul was based Hong Kong as a General Manager of the Foreign Investment Promotion at the Catalan government, leading Chinese investment into the region of Catalonia. During that period, Raul served as a Vice-Chair at the IT Business Council at the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.
Prior joining the public sector, Raul spent several years in the private sector in Spain as consultant in strategic management. During all his prefessional career he has also been a part time Lecturer in different universities in the fields of Operations and Project Management.
Raul holds a Masters degree in Industrial Engineering and a Postgraduate studies (DEA) in Innovation Managament by the University of Girona. In addition to his natives languages of Spanish and Catalan, he also speaks English and Japanese. He holds professional certifications in PMP and Scrum Master.
Deputy Director, Strategy Planning Division
Japan Tourism Agency
Shota Adachi
Shota Adachi is the Deputy Director of Strategy Planning Division, Japan Tourism Agency, where he contributed to two major revisions this year: the revision of the Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan, Cabinet decision on 27th March, and the International Tourist Tax, legsilated on 31st March.
Prior to being appointed as the Deputy Director of Japan Tourism Agency, Shota held significant roles at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in various fields: Housing Bureau, Railway Bureau, and Land Economy and Construction Industry Bureau.
Apart from his work in MLIT, Shota also serves as a Regional Revitalization Support Officer to support municipalities.
Shota holds an MBA and an MPP from the National University of Singapore and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Tokyo.
CEO & Founder
Trambellir
So Iizuka
Studied in Australia Queensland.
Started career in Advertisement industry. Had been worked for two magazine publishing company in Tokyo, Japan for especially cosmetic brands and ladies fashion brands clients before he started his own company in Tokyo.
Had been managed company in Tokyo, Singapore, LA and Kuala Lumpur for past 20 years in Advertisements, Consulting and medical industry.
In 2018, he launched Trambellir Sdn Bhd, the OTA for wellness and medical things-to-do in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Currently operating in 35 cities among 23 countries for his vision “Democratizing Medical tourism”
SVP, Sales
Tripbtoz
Stanley Kim
Stanley leads Global Business at Tripbtoz, Korea’s video-driven OTA platform. In this role, he oversees B2B supply partnerships, Southeast Asia market development, and influencer commerce, working with hotel chains, wholesalers, and creators across Asia to expand the platform’s distribution footprint.
Stanley joined Tripbtoz in 2019, where he has been part of the team building out the company’s hotel supply base and global commercial operations. Prior to Tripbtoz, he led strategic property expansion across Jeju and Gangwon at Expedia Korea through the PyeongChang Winter Olympics cycle.
Earlier in his career, he held roles at CBRE in commercial real estate and began in hospitality with Fraser Hospitality — a cross-disciplinary path spanning hotel operations, real estate, and digital travel.
Stanley holds a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from PIHMS in New Zealand.
Global Travel Lead
Protect Group
Stephen Joyce
Stephen Joyce is a serial entrepreneur who has been building and leading technology businesses since 1995. He currently serves as Global Travel Lead at Protect Group. Most recently, he was VP Content at Arival and Executive Director of OCTO. Prior to that, he was CEO of Rezgo, one of the first SaaS reservation platforms for tour and activity providers.
He is passionate about continuous learning, new adventures, connecting with inspiring people, and sharing insights through writing and industry engagement.
Managing Partner, Kinesys Group /
Advisor, Vertex Ventures SEA
& India (Japan Market)
Steven Vanada
Steven Vanada is the Managing Partner of Kinesys Group and an advisor to Vertex Ventures SEA & India for the Japan market. He has over 15 years of venture capital experience investing across Southeast Asia, with a strong focus on Indonesia and emerging markets.
Steven has led more than 30 investments across multiple market cycles, resulting in seven successful exits and backing two unicorn companies, Tokopedia and Coda Payments. He previously served as a Board Director at Tokopedia, one of Indonesia’s leading e-commerce marketplaces.
Prior to Kinesys, Steven was part of CyberAgent Capital, where he began investing in Indonesian startups in 2011. In 2019, he raised and managed a ¥2 billion early-stage venture fund focused on Indonesia.
Since 2023, Steven has been advising Vertex Ventures SEA & India in an advisory capacity focused on the Japan market, particularly supporting investments in Japanese startups with expansion opportunities in Southeast Asia and India.
Director, Global Business Development
TIDESQUARE
Sunny Chang
Sunny is the Director of Global Business Development at Tidesquare, South Korea’s leading technology-focused travel agency. She is responsible for spearheading business development and strategic partnerships across the travel vertical with the focus of enhancing Tidesquare’s presence on the global stage.
Sunny has over a decade experience in travel and hospitality with a Masters in International Trade and Economic Development from Yonsei University and a Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management from the Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne. She has lived in six countries and considers herself a third culture kid. Currently located in Toronto and Tidesquare’s first North America employee, she is looking to connect with other like minded individuals passionate about travel, technology and hospitality.
Board Member CSO
Managing Director
Goldwin Inc.
Takero Kaneda
Takero Kaneda is a board member CSO of Goldwin Inc., one of the leading sport/outdoor apparel companies in Japan, where he is responsible for the corporate mid-long term strategies with new business developments. Takero started his career as a member of Mitsui &Co., Ltd., a leading trading firm in Japan, and after Mitsui, he joined the start-up, Golf Digest Online, Inc., as COO and successfully made an IPO in 2004.
Vice President, Corporate Development
Agoda
Timothy Hughes
Timothy Hughes is the Vice President Corporate Development of Agoda (Booking Holdings Company). Timothy is a “retired” blogger and pundit. Previously he was the editor and publisher of one of the top online travel industry blogs (the BOOT: the Business Of Online Travel) and a writer at Phocuswire.
Tim is a former lawyer and venture capitalist. As a venture capitalist and consultant he helped a number of start-ups (inside and outside travel) secure funding, set up online media companies, managed investments in public companies and held regular client briefing sessions for a brokerage house. As lawyer he represented technology, new media, Internet, telecommunications and broadcasting clients in Australia, Europe and Hong Kong.
He first joined the online travel industry in 1999 and has worked for top tier online travel companies in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Tim has a Bachelor of Commerce and Hons Law Degree from the Australian National University.
Partner, Strategic Impact
EY Strategy & Consulting Co., Ltd.
Tomotaka Hirabayashi
Tomotaka leads Data Driven Re-Design Strategy Team, a part of Strategic Impact, which offers solutions to social issues.
Before joining EY, he worked for a government financial institution and a global consulting firm.
He spearheads initiatives for solving various social issues, focusing on formulation of data-driven strategies.
In recent years, along with supporting policymaking for tourism, he has been playing a leading role in offering data utilization platform services in cooperation with local governments and tourism-related operators throughout Japan. Now he is recognized as one of the leading experts in ecosystem and platform businesses.
Committee Member of the Japan Tourism Agency (Promotion of tourism DX)
Committee Member of the Japan Tourism Agency (Functional enhancement for JNTO certified Foreign Tourist Information Centers)
Evaluator for Sustainable Countryside Stay Models Creation Support Program
Co-Founder
Dian Consultant Co., Ltd.
Toyo Wang
Co-Founder, Dian Consultant Co., Ltd. / Legal Advisor, Fore Sight Attorneys-at-Law / Advisor, Office of Legislator Wang An-hsiang
Toyo Wang is a Senior Strategic Advisor specializing in the intersection of the Asia-Pacific tourism industry and legal-commercial frameworks. With an extensive track record in senior executive roles at major travel enterprises and OTAs across Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mainland China, he brings unparalleled expertise in cross-border operations and organizational transformation.
Currently, Toyo serves as a strategic consultant for leading travel companies and startups, where he pioneers “Law-Business Strategy.” He excels at integrating complex commercial realities with legal logic, focusing on corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and strategic risk management. His expertise lies in navigating the intricate nexus of business strategy and legal frameworks for visionary entrepreneurs.
Guided by the principles of “Altruism, Mutual Benefit” and “Hybrid Resonance Theory,” Toyo is dedicated to institutionalizing ethical values into resilient management mechanisms. He positions himself as the ultimate strategic backbone for business leaders, implementing technological and legal moats to ensure sustainable growth within a robust compliance framework.
Publications & Columns:
•Hybrid Resonance: Strategies for Sustainable Growth
•36 Strategies for Sustainable Tourism – Hong Kong
•Columnist, The News Lens
Education:
•LL.M. Candidate, National Chengchi University
•LL.B., National Taipei University
Honors & Awards:
•Outstanding Manager, Golden Peak Awards, Taiwan
•Outstanding Entrepreneur, Golden Peak Awards, Taiwan
CEO & Co-founder, Tour Hero /
Co-founder, Voyagin
Tushar Khandelwal
Chief Commercial Officer
Klook
Wilfred Fan
As Chief Commercial Officer, Wilfred is responsible for overseeing the Supply Business Development & Operations division, as well as contributing to the overall strategy from his base in Bangkok.
Wilfred is instrumental in expanding Klook’s global portfolio of products and services, deepening merchant and operator relations, exploring new business opportunities and product offerings, and optimizing supply operations.
Prior to joining Klook, Wilfred was Managing Director North Asia and a founding member of Agoda, where he introduced a direct hotel contracting strategy that propelled Agoda to become the largest hotel platform in Asia with more than 200,000 properties.
With 20 years of experience in the online travel industry, Wilfred has attained a holistic view of the travel industry through his illustrious career. He has held countless senior positions, from leading Partnership teams to managing operations across Asia, on-the-ground execution, corporate development, team management, and more.
Founder
WiT (Web in Travel)
Yeoh Siew Hoon
Siew Hoon has been covering the travel industry beat in Asia Pacific for decades, starting as a rookie reporter and going on to lead and launch the region’s key industry media titles. In 2005, she founded WiT (Web in Travel) to tackle how technology was changing travel in Asia Pacific and created a new space in the fast-growing, dynamic region with a dedicated media and events platform.
Over the years, she took WiT to new places, launching editions in Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Middle East, Europe, Africa and most recently New Zealand to keep the world’s attention focused on the three pillars of travel, technology and Asia.
Following the acquisition by Northstar Travel Group in 2014, she led the launch of Travel Weekly Asia and M&C Asia and formed the editorial team to execute the entry of Northstar Travel Group to Asia.
Her work has been recognised by numerous institutions including the Singapore Tourism Board which recognised her as Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014. The WiT Singapore conference, which remains its tentpole event, has won several awards including Most Innovative Marketing Initiative and Trade Conference Of The Year.
In 2020, WiT Singapore became the first travel conference to go fully hybrid, paving the way for a new model in events.
Other than writing about travel, Siew Hoon is also a published author of titles such as “Around Asia In One Hour: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries”, children’s books such as “Adventures of Habibie The Turtle” and “The Story of Baitong and Boon” and host of “A Life In Travel” podcast.”
