New Vacation Rental Association established to oversee Vacation Rental business with nine founding board members

December 11, 2018 – Today, the Preparation Committee of Vacation Rental Association agreed to establish an industry organization promoting the private lodging business in early 2019. At the preparation meeting for establishment that was made today, December 11, 2018, the committee agreed on the terms of incorporation and set the name of the organization to “Japan Association of Vacation Rental (JAVR)”, also confirmed that the committee will be putting in place the necessary procedures to establish it as a general incorporated association in early 2019.

Since May 2018, Japan Tourism Agency has shown support for the founding committee of the association. Discussions with overseas and domestic major vacation rental travel agencies regarding the establishment of the association have also been ongoing for over half a year.

The founding committee of Vacation Rental Association is made up of nine major vacation rental and travel agencies, including Agoda International Japan, Airbnb, Booking.com JAPAN, Ctrip International Travel Japan, HomeAway, Hyakusenrenma, Space Market, Tujia Japan, and Rakuten LIFULL STAY. These nine companies will be on the board of directors, with Yasuhiro Kamiyama, CEO of Hyakusenrenma and Natsuko Kimura, Japan Country Manager of HomeAway as the association’s first joint representative directors.

By adopting the term "Vacation Rental", that is recognized as private lodging services to travelers outside of Japan, the committee hopes to actively offer information to inbound travelers and its domestic market.

In collaboration with Japan Tourism Agency, the newly established association will aim to contribute to the development of the tourism industry in Japan and grow vacation rental businesses such as Vacation rental, Ryokan business utilizing residential facilities, Vacation rental in the national strategy zone, Event vacation rental. To achieve this, the Vacation Rental Association will engage in efforts to ensure smooth operation of the projects and improve cognition and its institutional environment.

Details of the association as follows:

【Association Name】 Japan Association of Vacation Rental (JAVR)

【Estimated Time of Establishment】 January 2019

【Representative Directors】

　Yasuhiro Kamiyama, Hyakusenrenma CEO
　Natsuko Kimura, HomeAway Country Manager

【The board of directors】

　Agoda International Japan
　Airbnb
　Booking.com Japan
　Ctrip International Travel Japan　
　Space Market
　Tujia Japan
　Rakuten LIFULL STAY

【Membership】
*The qualification of "employee" under the general incorporated association law is only for regular members

1. Regular members
Registered housing intermediary agencies or its enterprise group of corporations and travel agencies or its enterprise group of corporations that agree with the purpose of the association and approve by the board of directors.

2. Supporting members
Residential accommodation-related business operators other than regular members, companies, organizations and individuals that intend to contribute to market expansion of housing accommodation and vacation rental business, that agree with the purpose of the association and approve by the board of directors.
(e.g.) Leasing-related business operators, administrative scrivener offices, consulting companies, think-tank, insurance companies etc.

3. Observer
Among the municipalities that agree with the purpose of the association and approved by the board of directors.

【Planned main activities】
1. Public relations, educational activities for spreading healthy business
2. Education and training activities for hosts, administrators, guests etc.
3. Activities for agencies (Exchange of opinions and organizing workshops among agencies for understanding the system and sharing the issues)
4. Policy proposals, etc. to policymakers such as governments, municipalities, and the National diet

【Press Inquiries】　　　　　　　　　　

Preparation committee of Vacation Rental Association

E-mail : marketing.japan@homeaway.com