Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB) is partnering with Uber Japan. International delegates of “qualifying” conventions, conferences and incentive tours will now get promotional codes they can use for discounts on rides in the city.
This partnership is the first of its kind in Japan. It has been set up in part to support Expo 2025, which is expected to draw over 28m visitors from 13 April to 13 October 2025 on Yumeshima Island – a man-made island in Osaka Bay.
As part of the partnership, OCTB will also share anonymised data with Uber. The data will be used to monitor uptake and travel patterns around events. Organisers supported by OCTB can apply the benefit to qualifying events.
OCTB reports that there are three main objectives for the partnership:
Enhance Osaka’s appeal and convenience for meetings and events with the Uber promotional codes, and thus encourage more organisers to choose Osaka
Increase Uber ride service adoption among attendees at MICE events
Share service usage data
OCTB president Hiroshi Mizohata said the collaboration is part of Osaka’s commitment to becoming Asia’s top MICE destination:
“The OCTB is committed to positioning Osaka as Japan’s premier and Asia’s leading MICE destination. To achieve this, we have established an all-Osaka MICE promotional body.”
He continued: “Leveraging Uber’s global reach with services available in over 70 countries and supporting 50 languages, we aim to promote the Uber app’s use in Osaka.”
Uber Japan general manager Shiro Yamanaka called it a step toward “seamless” urban mobility for international visitors: “Uber is the best ride-hailing app in Japan for inbound travellers, enabling users in Osaka to easily book taxis, premium vehicles, and rideshare options.”
AloJapan.com