Significantly Expanding Accommodation and Transfer Services, Primarily in Europe

We are pleased to announce that “Apple World,” a B2B hotel booking website for travel agencies operated by Apple World Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Joe Hirao; hereinafter referred to as “APW”), a group company of ZIGExN Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, Operating Officer, and CEO: Joe Hirao; Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime: 3679; hereinafter referred to as “ZIGExN”), has commenced API-based information integration with MIKI TOURIST Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Katsumi Hine; hereinafter referred to as “MIKI TOURIST”), which has an extensive network throughout Europe and provides local travel arrangements around the world. Through this integration, “APPLE WORLD” will offer accommodation, transfer, and other travel products handled by MIKI TOURIST.

With the launch of this API integration, APW will further expand its global network of suppliers available to travel agencies, with a particular focus on strengthening its offerings of hotel inventory and local transfer arrangements in Europe.

“APPLE WORLD” is a B2B hotel booking website that aggregates accommodation and other travel products from multiple suppliers around the world, including local destination management companies (DMCs), wholesalers, and OTAs, and makes them available to travel agencies. Its key strength is providing a platform where users can search and book inventory and rates across multiple suppliers, and the site is used by more than 5,000 travel agencies.

■Background to the API Integration

While travel demand for Europe has been showing a strong recovery in recent years, Japanese travel agencies are facing growing demands for faster and more reliable travel arrangements, as well as greater operational efficiency, amid the weaker yen, rising prices at destinations, and increasingly complex conditions in local markets. Against this backdrop, APW has established an API integration with MIKI TOURIST, which has built its own extensive network in Europe and expanded its operations around the world. By integrating MIKI TOURIST’s inventory into the APW platform, APW will leverage the company’s industry-leading reliability and strong travel arrangement capabilities to directly address the challenges faced by travel agencies, including the time and effort required to make arrangements and the need for greater peace of mind when arranging travel services locally.

■Benefits of the API Integration

With the launch of the API integration with MIKI TOURIST, APW will achieve the following enhancements.

1. An Extensive Selection of Travel Products in Europe
MIKI TOURIST’s travel products, backed by its extensive knowledge of Europe and strong sourcing capabilities, will be added to the “APPLE WORLD” platform in real time. This will significantly expand the range of hotels available through the platform worldwide, with an even more extensive selection of properties in Europe in particular.

2. Improved Operational Efficiency through One-Stop Travel Arrangements, from Accommodation to Local Transfers
In addition to accommodation, travel agencies will be able to arrange local transfers, another important component of travel, through “APPLE WORLD.” Because the entire arrangement process can be completed seamlessly within “APPLE WORLD” without having to navigate multiple websites, travel agencies can significantly reduce their operational costs.

3. A Reliable and Stable Booking Experience Backed by MIKI TOURIST’s Long-Established Network
Through its partnership with MIKI TOURIST, which has been firmly established in local markets across Europe for many years and maintains a reliable and well-established operational and travel arrangement structure, APW will provide travel agencies and the travelers they serve with a highly reliable and secure foundation for their journeys. Through this partnership, APW will further enhance both the quality and breadth of information available to travel agencies using “APPLE WORLD,” thereby increasing the value of the services it provides. Going forward, APW will continue to expand its partnerships with more suppliers in Japan and overseas, striving to make “APPLE WORLD” an easy-to-use platform offering an extensive selection of travel products for travel agencies.

■MIKI TOURIST Co., Ltd. Company Profile

Founded in London, the United Kingdom, in 1967, MIKI TOURIST Co., Ltd. is a wholesale travel arrangement company specializing in local travel arrangements, including hotels, transfers, and sightseeing services. Since its establishment, the company has built an extensive proprietary network across Europe. As a consolidated subsidiary of H.I.S. Co., Ltd., MIKI TOURIST also provides online hotel booking services covering Europe and destinations around the world.

［Company Name］ MIKI TOURIST Co., Ltd.
［Address］ Sumitomo Fudosan Shinjuku Central Park Building, 15F, 6-13-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023,
［Date Established］July 1, 1967
［Representative］ President and CEO Katsumi Hine
［Capital］98 million yen
［Business Activities］Travel agency business based on the Travel Agency Act, including arrangements for Europe-originating tours, accommodation, transfers, and cruise sales
［URL］https://www.mikitourist.co.jp/

■Apple World Inc. Company Profile

Since its founding in 1991, Apple World Inc. has served as a travel distribution infrastructure company, connecting more than 470,000 hotels in 200 countries around the world with more than 5,000 travel agencies in Japan. In addition to its domestic and international air ticket business, Apple World also provides services for individual travelers and supports the travel industry as one of the few companies in Japan capable of handling the entire process from arranging air tickets and hotel accommodations through payment. Going forward, Apple World will leverage technology to connect travel distribution, starting in Asia, one of the world’s fastest-growing travel markets, while expanding its range of travel products and pursuing agile M&A initiatives. Through these efforts, Apple World will continue to empower travelers and everyone who supports their journeys to take a step toward a better future.

［Company Name］Apple World Inc.
［Headquarters location］Shinjuku Square Tower(14F) 6-22-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo Japan.
［Established］December 6, 1991
［Representative］President and Representative Director Joe Hirao
［Business Profile］
Reservation/arrangement of overseas/domestic hotels, sale of hotel coupons and overseas/domestic hotel/travel-related information service
［URL］ https://appleworld.co.jp/en