Nol Universe partners with Japan's Apple World to supply 30,000 Korean accommodations

Nol Universe's new Pangyo headquarters, the 10X Tower. [Nol Universe]

Japanese tourists visiting South Korea will soon be able to book Korean accommodations through Nol Universe more easily.

Nol Universe announced Monday it has signed a strategic partnership with Apple World, a Japanese hotel distribution specialist, to expand the overseas reach of domestic accommodations.

Apple World operates a global hotel booking platform serving Japanese travel agencies and distributes more than 400,000 properties across over 200 countries. The company has been steadily expanding its Korean accommodation offerings in line with growing travel demand for Korea.

Through the partnership, Nol Universe will supply about 30,000 properties from its domestic accommodation inventory to Apple World's Japanese travel agency and global sales network.

Domestic accommodation partners will gain access to new overseas distribution channels, including local Japanese travel agencies. Japanese travelers will be able to book a wide range of Korean accommodations conveniently through local sites.

The two companies plan to complete system integration within the third quarter, after which Japanese hotel inventory will be linked to the NOL platform in phases. NOL customers will then be able to book a broader selection of Japanese accommodations than before.

Nol Universe and Japan's Apple World. [Nol Universe]

The partnership is part of Nol Universe's broader strategy to expand its overseas distribution network. The company plans to continue deepening ties with global distribution partners going forward.

Oliver Libutzki, head of Nol Universe's global business group, said the deal "will serve as a springboard to provide domestic accommodation partners with new opportunities for global growth." He added that the company plans to "expand cooperation with global distribution companies so that more overseas travelers can discover Korean travel content, and contribute to boosting inbound tourism."

Fukada Takeshi, a director at Apple World, said he expects the partnership to "mutually supply each company's accommodation inventory across the Korean and Japanese markets, offering travel agencies and travelers alike a wider range of choices, and contributing to the growth of the travel markets in the two countries."

Meanwhile, an internal Nol Universe analysis of reservation data — based on check-in and usage dates from July 1 through Aug. 31 — found that Japan was the most popular overseas destination among its users. The company said it expects the expanded partnership with a local Japanese distribution partner to make it more convenient for Korean travelers heading to Japan to book accommodations there as well.

sjpark@heraldcorp.com