Once seen as a niche fandom, anime and comics have become a global cultural force—and now, a travel driver.
According to Trip.com, searches for anime and comic-related travel experiences across Asia have jumped 195% year-on-year, reflecting growing demand for trips built around fan culture, conventions, and real-world pilgrimage sites. Interest is especially strong among travellers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Korea.
The trend is part of a broader shift in how fans engage with entertainment. As anime moves deeper into the mainstream through streaming platforms and social media, it is shaping not just viewing habits but travel behaviour too. Global hits such as One Piece, Demon Slayer, and Naruto continue to expand anime’s reach, particularly among Gen Z and Millennial audiences.
One of the strongest signs of this momentum is the rise of anime conventions as tourism events. Trip.com reported that international ticket sales for AnimeJapan 2026 jumped 697% year-on-year, with buyers coming from 82 countries and regions. More than half were aged 25 to 34, and over half were male.
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Anime events are increasingly anchoring travel plans across Asia. Hotel bookings within 3 kilometres of major anime festivals have risen during event periods, showing how conventions are influencing where fans stay as well as where they go.
Hong Kong Comic Con 2026 has also drawn strong overseas interest, especially from Mainland China and Southeast Asia. Trip.com data shows that more than 8 in 10 ticket buyers are Gen Zs and Millennials, while women account for over 80% of sales.
@resonatevoices Singapore Comic Con 2025 was 🔥 Can you spot your favourite heroes? #sgcc #sgcc2025 #comiccon #comiccon2025 ♬ Swear By It – Chris Alan Lee
In Japan, the effect is even clearer. Odaiba, which will host Summer Comiket 2026, is seeing a 78% year-on-year increase in hotel bookings during the event period. Pokémon GO Fest 2026 is also generating strong interest on Trip.com’s trend-tracking platform, Trip.Pulse.
Anime fandom is also driving seichi junrei, or pilgrimage travel, where fans visit real-world places featured in anime, manga, or related films. Trip.com cites research showing that 70% of travellers across Asia are inspired to visit destinations they have watched on screen, while Japan Tourism Agency data found that foreign visits to movie- and anime-linked locations rose from 4.6% in 2019 to 7.5% in 2023.
Classic fan destinations such as the railway crossing near Kamakura-Koko-mae Station, made famous by Slam Dunk, continue to attract overseas visitors. Akihabara and Ikebukuro, long associated with otaku culture, have also seen hotel bookings rise by an average of 10% year-on-year on Trip.com.
The newest phase of anime tourism goes beyond sightseeing. Travellers are now looking for immersive experiences, from themed stays to attractions designed around specific franchises. At The Farm in Japan, themed glamping rooms inspired by Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End recreate scenes and photo spots from the series.
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Universal Studios Japan has also leaned into the trend, launching new anime experiences tied to Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and Detective Conan: The World. Trip.com is responding with curated tours that take fans through iconic anime and manga locations, turning fandom into a structured travel experience.
Anime is no longer just entertainment consumed at home. It is becoming a shared cultural language that shapes where people go, who they meet, and how they choose to travel.
Hong Kong Comic Con 2026 is taking place from 29 May to 31 May. Buy tickets for Hong Kong Comic Con 2026 here.
