MLB Agrees to International Partnership with JTB Corp., Japan’s Largest Travel Agency

AP

11:10 JST, January 29, 2024

JTB today announced a new multi-year international partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB). As part of the new multi-national business arrangement, JTB is an official sponsor of MLB’s WORLD TOUR and will offer exclusive international hospitality packages for the season-opening Seoul Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. The two-game series at Seoul’s Gocheok SkyDome on March 20th-21st marks the regular season Dodgers debuts of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

As an Official Partner of the Major League Baseball WORLD TOUR, JTB will also be offering access for fans worldwide – outside the United States – to select VIP ticket and hospitality packages to WORLD TOUR events including the Seoul Series and London Series. Furthermore, JTB has the ability to provide tickets to MLB regular season games to fans based in Asia as part of hospitality packages that also include travel to and accommodations in the U.S.

Last year we experienced a dramatic rise in demand for travel and events around the world as we finally moved beyond most challenges caused by the pandemic and now we clearly see that the market needs for real and exciting experiences are very strong, said Eijiro Yamakita, JTB President & CEO. “In this situation, we are deeply impressed by MLB’s commitment to bringing the wonderful experience of baseball games to people around the world, as it resonates with our brand slogan: ‘Perfect moments, always.’ We are ready to create opportunities for people to enjoy baseball with our solid global network, knowledge and hospitality.”

With MLB’s growing international popularity over the last decade, we have continually focused on developing and growing the game abroad, said Noah Garden, Deputy Commissioner, Business & Media, Major League Baseball. “As we embark on an increasingly ambitious schedule of global events, we need key business partners who can match our ambitions and work closely with us to keep growing Baseball fandom around the globe. We believe JTB can provide that vital support and we look forward to working closely together on the WORLD TOUR.”

JTB, a Tokyo-based international operation, opened its New York office 60 years ago and has handled a large number of overseas trips along with the liberalization of overseas travel in Japan, having steadfastly maintained its position as a leading travel agency in Asia. In recent years, JTB has helped thousands of Japanese baseball fans visit the U.S. and Canada to see Japanese players star in MLB, while establishing strong relationships with many Clubs across Major League Baseball.