JNTO Targets Gulf Tourists With Hokkaido Summer Push

Japan’s tourism body JNTO has launched a targeted summer campaign promoting Hokkaido to travellers from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, responding to accelerating demand from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The initiative positions Hokkaido as a summer alternative to Japan’s most-visited cities, with average July temperatures of 17–22°C offering a sharp contrast to summer heat in the Gulf and in Tokyo and other major Honshu destinations.

The campaign spotlights Hokkaido’s distinctive seasonal appeal: lavender fields in Furano at peak bloom from mid-July, hiking in Daisetsuzan National Park, and fresh seafood in Sapporo and along the Oshamambe and Hakodate coasts. JNTO data shows that GCC arrivals to Japan grew at a significantly faster rate than the overall market in 2025 — a year in which Japan welcomed a record 42.683 million international visitors, the highest total in the country’s history.

Gulf visitors typically stay longer and spend more per trip than the global average for Japanese tourism, making the GCC market a strategic priority as Japan shifts its focus toward high-value visitors rather than pure volume. Direct flights between the Gulf and Japan have expanded over recent years, with Japan Airlines and ANA both operating routes to Haneda and Narita from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, improving access significantly.

For visitors planning a Hokkaido summer trip, practical considerations include: rail connections via the Shinkansen to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto with onward express services to Sapporo; advance booking of lavender-season accommodation in Furano (mid-July demand is extremely high); and awareness of Hokkaido’s new local accommodation levy, which came into force this spring. Mosquito repellent is useful in rural and wetland areas in summer.

Our Japan in July guide covers weather, regional events, and seasonal planning advice for visitors travelling to Japan that month. For Sapporo tours and Hokkaido experiences, lavender-season options fill quickly — book well ahead for July.