The event brought more than 29 million visitors to the Osaka and Kansai area.
“Expo 2025 dramatically revitalised Osaka’s MICE industry,” said Yoshikazu Tanaka, director general of the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB).
“New events that launched during the Expo will continue next year, and international event planners are newly choosing Osaka as their next host city.
“The Expo boosted Osaka’s global reputation as a MICE destination, and with participants experiencing its unique appeal, requests to host future events in Osaka are expected to rise.”
Among many events held at the Expo site, the MICE & Event Professionals Meeting on June 10 was the first-ever large-scale MICE event to be held in Expo history, according to OCTB. More than 300 MICE professionals from 10 countries attended the presentations and networking reception.
Through this event, OCTB hopes to “nurture the relationships and continue pioneering efforts to bring new MICE opportunities throughout Osaka and Japan”.
Sustainability was a key topic. The case study on innovative sustainable initiatives practised at the Australia pavilion was well received.
Australia constantly drew a large crowd. An industry observer said the Australian team “did an outstanding job of keeping traffic flowing and was exemplary in sustainability and diversity initiatives – a good model for organisers of large events”.
OCTB also promoted Japanese traditions by helping to organise events themed on topics such as kimono and sumo.
The Expo 2025 site on Yumeshima island is being demolished, but next to it, work on Japan’s first integrated resort started earlier this year. Slated for completion in 2030, it is expected to become one of the largest MICE facilities in Japan.
Post-World Expo, the Japan MICE Expo on November 27 – 28 at INTEX Osaka drew 2,802 attendees. Buyers were mostly from Asia Pacific, including Australia, with increased participation from European and North American companies, especially in medicine, manufacturing and events.
Many hosted buyers also came with concrete project proposals for Japan, an impact influenced by Expo 2025 and the trend of increasing inbound demand, OCTB noted.
Separately, at an incentive travel business meeting organised by the Japan National Tourism Organization office in Singapore in October, Sumo Hall Hirakuza from Osaka said Australians figure among its regular customers. The 60-minute sumo entertainment show and 70-minute workshop are popular with groups.
It will open a new venue in Tokyo in January as “an experiential live restaurant” with a show that combines sumo, Japanese cuisine and sake.
Another seller, InterContinental Osaka, said that while the Expo drove occupancy, the hotel will look at how to increase the business segment in 2026; currently, most Australian guests are FITs.
Event Services, Inc revealed that Australia is one of its top markets, and participants are “easy-going, enjoy fun and group activities”. Popular themes are anime, sakura and sumo.
