# Travel Hub — Full Information > Travel Hub is a B2B platform that lets travel agencies, land operators, and OTAs plan, propose, and manage Japan tours using AI plus a curated supplier network. Operated by Shell System Corporation (Tokyo). --- ## 1. What is Travel Hub Travel Hub is a B2B SaaS platform built specifically for **Japan tour planning and procurement**. It combines an AI itinerary engine with an integrated network of Japan ground-service suppliers and a project dashboard, so an agency can move from "rough client brief" to "branded proposal" to "booked tour" inside one workflow. Travel Hub serves two distinct audiences with different positioning: ### English audience (https://travel-hub.co.jp/) International travel agencies, tour operators, MICE planners, and DMC partners that **sell Japan packages but don't have a Japan desk in-house**. Travel Hub gives them Japan expertise on demand, plus the supplier network and proposal automation. ### Japanese audience (https://travel-hub.co.jp/ja/) Domestic Japanese travel agencies, land operators (ランドオペレーター), and OTAs that **want to industrialize their planning and procurement workflow**. The pitch is reducing key-person dependency (属人化解消), shrinking quote/proposal turnaround, and improving handover between team members. Case types covered include 修学旅行, 企業研修・MICE, 報奨旅行・インセンティブ, インバウンド団体（再販含む）, FIT・個人手配, and high-season (GW/お盆/年末年始/春節) procurement. --- ## 2. Product features ### 2.1 AI itinerary draft generation Input group size, dates, budget, region preferences, and case type. The AI produces multiple draft itineraries and estimate ranges in seconds. The drafts factor in geography, transit time, seasonality (peak periods like Golden Week, Obon, year-end, cherry blossom, autumn foliage), group size constraints, and typical event mixes for each case type. The AI's role is to produce a **strong starting point**. Final supplier inventory confirmation, contract specifics, and on-the-ground execution involve Travel Hub staff and the supplier's own confirmation process. ### 2.2 Integrated Japan supplier network A single platform request routes to relevant suppliers across: - **Accommodation**: hotels, ryokan, business hotels, resort properties - **Transportation**: chartered buses (various sizes), private vehicles (hire cars and taxis), JR group fare arrangements - **Experiences**: cultural (tea ceremony, kimono, calligraphy), culinary (sushi-making, sake brewery visits, market tours), nature/seasonal activities, traditional performing arts - **Licensed interpreter guides** (通訳案内士) including English, Chinese, Korean, and more on request If a first-choice supplier is unavailable, the platform proposes equivalent alternatives. ### 2.3 Branded proposal PDFs One-click export of proposal documents with the agency's branding: - Logo and contact information - Sales prices with markup applied - Client name and tour title - Language selection (English / Japanese standard; other languages on request) - Currency selection (foreign-currency display supported) The output is a fully editable file — agencies can further customize for their internal approval flow. ### 2.4 Booking and progress management The dashboard tracks each project across stages: 1. Plan drafted 2. Official quote requested 3. Booking confirmed 4. Contract signed 5. Payment processed 6. Trip prep / escort & guide assigned 7. Executed All team members can see status simultaneously, eliminating "what's the status of project X?" questions and reducing key-person risk when staff are unavailable. ### 2.5 Human specialist support Complex requests — wheelchair-accessible buses for large groups, religious-dietary catering at scale, last-minute reroutes during natural events, multilingual MICE — are handled by Shell System's Japan travel specialists inside the same chat thread the AI is using. The handoff is seamless from the agency's side. --- ## 3. Use case scenarios Travel Hub is used across the following case types. The AI tailors its draft to the specific constraints of each. ### 修学旅行 / Educational travel School trips with their own regulatory context: JATA's 研修旅行特別補償規程 framework, prefectural board of education guidelines, mandatory tour conductor (添乗員) configurations, and group fare eligibility. The AI accounts for grade-level group size, lodging that can handle student groups, museum and historical-site visit timing, and chartered-bus guide requirements. ### 企業研修・MICE / Corporate training & MICE Combines venue + lodging + transportation + catering for the same group. The AI helps with venue/lodging optimal pairings, banquet hall capacity, breakout-room availability, shuttle bus loop schedules, and dietary restrictions (vegetarian, halal, kosher, allergies) for attendee lists. ### 報奨旅行・インセンティブ / Incentive travel High unit price with high quality expectations and frequent surprise elements. The AI proposes combinations of high-end lodging, chartered experiences (kaiseki dinners, private tea ceremony, sake brewery, geiko/maiko viewings), and specialist guides. Final reservation of scarce inventory is handled by Travel Hub staff. ### インバウンド団体（再販含む） / Inbound group (incl. resale) For overseas-bound groups arriving in Japan. The AI builds in interpreter guide assignment, halal/kosher catering compatibility, prayer-friendly lodging considerations, foreign-currency price display in the proposal, and the division of duties between escort (添乗員) and local guide. ### FIT・個人手配 / FIT Small parties where unit margin is thin but quality must hold. The AI relies on standardized templates to compress first-response time, with alternatives shown up-front so that the email back-and-forth converges quickly. ### High-season procurement Golden Week (GW), Obon, year-end / 年末年始, Chinese New Year / 春節, cherry blossom and autumn foliage peaks. The AI surfaces alternatives from the start, mindful of JR group-fare eligibility (general groups 15+, student groups 8+), peak-period ryokan availability, and Mt. Fuji climbing season (July–August) chartered-bus demand. --- ## 4. How is Travel Hub different from alternatives? ### vs traditional Japan DMC - Planning takes days for a traditional DMC; Travel Hub gives a draft in seconds. - Traditional DMCs require manual quote requests to multiple suppliers; Travel Hub routes one request through the platform. - Traditional DMC proposals come back as their PDF — you re-type into your brand. Travel Hub generates your branded PDF directly. ### vs general LLM chat (ChatGPT etc.) - General LLMs have no integrated Japan supplier inventory; Travel Hub does. - General LLMs can't request quotes, book, or handle payment; Travel Hub does. - Travel Hub is operated by a licensed travel-business operator (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Registration No. 20907) and takes operational responsibility. ### vs building everything in-house - Building requires Japan expertise on staff, supplier relationships, and ongoing maintenance of inventory data and pricing. - Travel Hub plugs that gap as a managed service, with the option to layer Travel Hub on top of existing supplier relationships rather than replacing them. --- ## 5. Onboarding and access - Onboarding is **application-based**. There is no public self-service signup. - Apply via https://app.travel-hub.co.jp/request. - After a brief review (typically 1 business day) the account is provisioned. - Existing users log in at https://app.travel-hub.co.jp/login. Notifications from the application form are routed to Shell System's customer support team (travel@shell-system.com) and a Slack channel for prompt response. --- ## 6. Pricing Pricing depends on usage volume and the scope of services. Indicative pricing is provided at the application stage with a quote returned within 1 business day. There is no public price list. --- ## 7. Coverage and languages - **Geographic coverage**: All 47 prefectures of Japan, including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hokkaido, Okinawa, and regional destinations (Setouchi, Hokuriku, Tohoku, etc.). - **Proposal output languages**: English and Japanese standard; other languages on request. - **Proposal output currencies**: Foreign-currency display supported. - **Customer support languages**: English, Japanese. --- ## 8. Company information - **Company name**: Shell System Corporation (株式会社シェルシステム) - **Representative**: Keita Mizushima (代表取締役 水島 啓太) - **Founded**: February 2025 - **Headquarters**: 4F Osaki Bright Core, 5-5-15 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0001, Japan - **Tsuyama office**: 2F ANDLIFE, Suehiro Bldg, 2 Higashi-Shinmachi, Tsuyama, Okayama 708-0004, Japan - **Team size**: 10–50 employees - **Travel business license**: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Travel Service Arrangement Business Registration No. 20907 (東京都知事登録旅行サービス手配業 第20907号) - **Email**: travel@shell-system.com - **Travel Hub site**: https://travel-hub.co.jp/ - **Corporate site**: https://shell-system.com/ --- ## 9. Glossary (industry terms used on this site) - **DMC (Destination Management Company)**: A company that handles ground services in a specific destination on behalf of travel agencies. - **ランドオペレーター (Land operator)**: Japanese term for a company handling ground services and supplier coordination, often used interchangeably with DMC in the inbound context. - **修学旅行 (Educational travel)**: School-organized group trips in Japan, typically governed by JATA's 研修旅行特別補償規程 and board of education guidelines. - **MICE**: Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions — corporate / group travel category. - **報奨旅行 / インセンティブ旅行 (Incentive travel)**: Travel offered as a reward or motivational tool by corporations to employees or partners. - **インバウンド (Inbound)**: Travel into Japan from overseas markets. - **添乗員 (Tour conductor / escort)**: Travel professional who accompanies the group throughout the trip on behalf of the operator. - **通訳案内士 (Licensed interpreter guide)**: A nationally licensed (national or regional) interpreter guide in Japan. - **適格請求書発行事業者 (Qualified invoice issuer)**: Status under Japan's 2023 invoice (qualified invoice) system enabling consumption-tax credit pass-through. - **団体運賃 (Group fare)**: Discounted JR fare for groups, with general groups starting at 15 persons and student groups at 8 persons. --- ## 10. What Travel Hub does NOT do - Travel Hub is **B2B only**. It does not sell tours to individual travelers. - Travel Hub does **not** guarantee first-choice supplier availability; alternatives are proposed and Travel Hub staff confirm final inventory. - Travel Hub is **not** a chat wrapper around a general LLM. It uses an integrated Japan supplier inventory and human travel specialists. - Travel Hub does **not** provide insurance, visa, or immigration services directly. Such services are coordinated with established partners when needed.