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– Strategic partnership enables reciprocal integration of Korean and Japanese accommodation inventories
– Builds on Korea's largest accommodation inventory to strengthen global distribution and connectivity across Asia's travel ecosystem
SEOUL, South Korea, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NOL Universe (CEO Thomas Lee), Korea's leading travel, leisure and culture platform company, announced a strategic partnership with APPLE WORLD Inc., a leading Japanese accommodation distribution company, to strengthen its global accommodation distribution network. The agreement marks NOL Universe's first global accommodation distribution partnership with a Japanese company and represents another milestone in expanding its international travel partner ecosystem.
NOL Universe is Korea's leading travel and leisure platform company, offering one of the country's largest accommodation inventories alongside transportation, leisure activities, live entertainment and other travel experiences. Backed by nearly two decades of expertise in Korea's travel market and proprietary travel technology, the company connects travelers and industry partners through its integrated platform while expanding its global business.
As demand for travel to Korea continues to grow globally, NOL Universe will make approximately 30,000 verified accommodation properties available through Apple World's distribution network serving Japanese travel agencies and global B2B partners. The partnership expands international access to Korean accommodations while opening new overseas sales channels for accommodation partners in Korea. Apple World operates one of Japan's leading B2B accommodation distribution platforms, covering more than 400,000 properties across over 200 countries.
The two companies plan to complete system integration during the third quarter of 2026 to enable reciprocal connectivity between Korean and Japanese accommodation inventories. The partnership is part of NOL Universe's global B2B Distribution strategy to expand its international distribution network. More than a simple inventory integration, it represents a cross-border collaboration model that connects regional distribution partners with travel content. Building on this partnership, NOL Universe will continue expanding its global accommodation supply network while strengthening strategic partnerships across key international markets.
"Global interest in travel to Korea continues to grow, and NOL Universe is building the foundation for global partners to connect travelers with Korean travel content through one of the country's largest accommodation inventories and our travel platform capabilities," said Oliver Libutzki, Head of Global Business Group at NOL Universe. "We will continue expanding partnerships with leading regional companies to deliver richer travel experiences for customers while building a sustainable global travel ecosystem together with our partners."
"We are delighted to partner with NOL Universe," said Takeshi Fukada, Director of Apple World Inc. "To date, Apple World has provided hotel inventory from more than 400,000 properties across over 200 countries to travel agencies. Through this partnership, we will now bring in hotels from Korea's rapidly growing travel market and deliver them to our partners in Japan and abroad. By distributing both companies' inventory across the two markets, we aim to broaden the options available to both travel agencies and travelers, and to contribute to the growth of the travel markets in Japan and Korea."