Following the recent acquisition of Northstar Travel Group, JTB Corporation president and chief executive Eijiro Yamakita took the stage at Web in Travel (WiT) Singapore 2025 to share his perspective on the future of global travel.
Yamakita’s participation at WiT Singapore underscored the strategic importance of Asia in this new chapter.
He joined a heavyweight lineup of speakers from Expedia, Agoda, Booking.com, Google, as well as JTB Corp, reflecting WiT’s role as a platform where the industry’s most influential leaders gather to debate the forces shaping the next era of travel.
A formidable event
This year’s conference was held from 6th to 8th October at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, and the event also marked WiT’s 20th anniversary under the bold theme The Next 20.
Looking forward rather than back, the programme explored the seismic shifts set to define the next two decades of travel from the acceleration of AI to shifting demographics and societal change.
Sessions challenged delegates to consider how travel must reinvent itself to remain relevant, resilient, and human.
Web in Travel founder and editor Siew Hoon Yeoh said: “Having Eijiro Yamakita with us this year, so soon after JTB’s acquisition of Northstar, is symbolic of the new bridges being built across the industry. It reflects the scale of the conversations we’re curating as we look to The Next 20 years of travel. WiT has always been about connecting the dots between global forces and local realities, and this year’s programme is no exception.”
With regard to the Northstar acquisition
JTB’s recent acquisition of Northstar means that the latter will operate as a wholly owned but independent subsidiary of JTB.
Likewise, it marked a significant milestone in JTB’s growth strategy, expanding its reach into B2B travel events, media, and market intelligence.
With Northstar’s portfolio including iconic brands such as Travel Weekly, Business Travel News, ALIS, The Meetings Show, and Phocuswright, the move strengthens JTB’s influence across the global travel ecosystem.
Yamakita said: “Northstar brings outstanding expertise and fresh perspectives that perfectly align with JTB’s strategic vision. Appearing at WiT Singapore is a chance to continue that conversation, exploring how we can collectively drive innovation, deliver superior customer experiences, and shape the future of global travel.”
