If you love travel and sharing tips, the Rakuten Travel Affiliate Program on Involve Asia is a golden opportunity. It lets you earn commissions by helping your audience find hotels in Japan.
Let’s dive into how it works—and why it’s perfect for content creators like you.
Why Choose Rakuten Travel?
Trusted Brand Globally
Rakuten Travel is a household name in Japan and across Asia, known for its reliable booking engine and excellent customer service. With credibility like that, conversions come easier.
Wide-ranging Special Deals
From luxury stays to budget hostels, Rakuten Travel covers them all. Plus, it often features exclusive deals and seasonal offers that your audience will love.
What Is Involve Asia?
One Platform for Many Brands
Involve Asia consolidates multiple affiliate programs—Rakuten included—into one user-friendly dashboard.
Tools & Support for Affiliates
Get tracking links, real-time reports, banners, and more to make promotion seamless and transparent.
Understanding the Rakuten Travel Affiliate Program
Commission Structure
Earn for every completed hotel booking made through your link. Commissions are usually calculated based on total sale value and are higher for bookings made without use of coupons (discount codes).
Dynamic Payout Tiers
The more bookings you drive, the higher your commission percentage can rise—earning more per referral!
What You Can Promote
- Hotel bookings across Japan
- Hotel bookings made on non-Japanese website or non-Japanese platform (app)
Who Is It For?
Travel Bloggers & Influencers
Perfect for “Top 10 scenic hotels near Mount Fuji” or “How to book discount stays in Kyoto” style content.
Review Sites & Deal Aggregators
Highlight comparative pricing or curated deals to draw in focused travelers.
How to Join via Involve Asia
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Step 1: Sign up as an Involve Asia affiliate partner
Step 2: Add your traffic source (website, blog, social)
Step 3: Apply for Rakuten Travel campaign
Step 4: Wait for approval—usually 1–3 days
Step 5: Grab your affiliate link and start sharing
Approval Tips
- Fill out your profile completely
- Show alignment with travel content
- Include example posts or past collaborations
High-Converting Content Strategies
Destination Guides
Write articles like “Explore Tokyo on a Budget—Top 5 Hotels” with embedded Rakuten Travel affiliate links.
Booking Tutorials
Create step-by-step videos or blog posts that guide viewers through the booking process and your personal experience.
Seasonal & Event Highlights
“Stay Near Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan” or “Book Now: Rakuten’s Year-End Hotel Sale!”
Best Promotion Channels
Blogs & SEO
Use long-tail keywords like “Tokyo budget hotel review” or “Kyoto traditional hotel booking guide.”
YouTube & Vlogs
Show your real-time booking experience, tours of places you’ve stayed in, or trip recap videos.
Social Media (Reels, Stories)
Quick travel tips? Use a short clip, mention your link in bio, and add a sticker if on Instagram.
Tracking, Optimizing & Scaling
Involve Asia Dashboard
Monitor clicks, bookings, and earnings. See which links or posts perform best.
A/B Testing & Campaign Adjustments
Compare headlines, visuals, or placement styles to see what converts more—then focus on top performers.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not disclosing affiliate links (always use proper disclaimers)
- Using generic links instead of specific hotel/deal URLs
- Posting too sporadically—consistency wins
- Promoting hotels outside of Japan
Why It’s a Great Evergreen Opportunity
Travel is timeless. Rakuten Travel’s deals, seasonal offers, and reputation keep this affiliate program relevant year-round—ideal for long-term earnings.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the Rakuten Travel Affiliate Program on Involve Asia is a terrific fit for travel content creators. With brand trust, commission tiers, and plenty of room for creative promotion, it’s ideal for anyone looking to monetize travel passions.
Ready to explore travel content and affiliate earnings simultaneously? This is your launchpad.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is there a fee to join the Rakuten Travel affiliate program?
There is no fee to join the Rakuten Travel affiliate program on Involve Asia. You don’t need to pay any upfront fees or subscription costs. All you need to do is sign up as an Involve Asia affiliate partner, apply for the Rakuten Travel campaign, and start sharing your affiliate links.
It’s a low-risk way to monetize your audience, especially if you create content related to travel, hotels, or vacations. Whether you’re a blogger, YouTuber, or social media creator, this program gives you a cost-free entry into travel affiliate marketing.
Can I promote Rakuten Travel to audiences outside Asia?
You can promote Rakuten Travel to international audiences as long as they book hotels within Japan and the bookings are made via non-Japanese website or platform (app). As an affiliate, your role is to connect travelers with relevant deals—whether they’re exploring Tokyo, Kyoto or Okinawa. If your audience is interested in Japan travel, Rakuten Travel gives you a wide scope of offers to promote, helping you earn commissions from hotel bookings in Japan.
How soon do I get paid for my affiliate sales?
Once you’ve generated a confirmed booking through your Rakuten Travel affiliate link, you’ll typically receive your commission payout after the booking has been completed and validated by the advertiser. The validation and payout timeline varies but usually takes a few weeks post-checkout.
Involve Asia processes your earnings and allows withdrawals once the commission reaches the minimum payout threshold. Make sure your banking details are accurate to avoid delays. You can also monitor the status of your commissions and payout dates directly through the Involve Asia dashboard.
Do I need to create travel content regularly to earn affiliate income?
Creating travel content regularly can help increase your affiliate earnings, but it’s not a strict requirement. Many affiliates successfully promote Rakuten Travel by publishing seasonal content, travel guides, or even sharing last-minute deals. Whether you’re active weekly or monthly, what matters most is the relevance and timing of your content.
Strategic content around peak travel seasons, long weekends, or popular destinations can lead to more clicks and bookings. You can also repurpose evergreen travel articles to keep earning from them year-round. Consistency helps, but creativity and timing matter more.
Can small accounts still succeed with the Rakuten Travel affiliate program?
You don’t need a huge following to succeed with the Rakuten Travel affiliate program. Micro-influencers and niche bloggers often perform well because their audiences are highly engaged and trust their recommendations.
If you focus on a specific destination, travel style (like budget travel or luxury stays), or type of traveler (e.g., family, solo, couples), you can tailor content that converts better. Sharing authentic travel tips and inserting your affiliate links naturally can drive results, even from a smaller audience. What counts is trust, relevance, and good content strategy.
