After having strengthened its image as a business events destination, Japan is now aggressively focusing on positioning itself as a leisure and family destination in the India market by promoting its lesser known regions like Hokkaido in northern Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki to name a few. Speaking on the sidelines of the recently concluded ‘Visit Japan Trade Seminar’ held in Mumbai, Hideki Manabe, executive director – Singapore, Malaysia and India, Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) stated, “So far travellers to Japan have been business cum leisure but now the focus is to attract the leisure and family segment from India. Most people are usually first time visitors to Japan and they visit the Golden Route which is from Tokyo to Osaka covering Kyoto (the old capital). However, now we want to promote other regions like Hokkaido in northern Japan, and Hiroshima and Nagasaki, since many Indians are interested in the history behind these regions.”
To promote its leisure offerings in the India market, JNTO has been participating in various travel trade shows and marketing campaigns. “We have been working in a systematic manner to create awareness pan India. We are investing in B2C advertising like out-of-home hoardings, hosting FAM trips for the media and travel trade, participating in travel trade shows in the country, etc. We have been working in small markets like Chandigarh by participating in CII, IT&CMA, etc. We are also publishing an Indian food guide book and we want to show a short commercial on Japan at multiplexes prior to the start of a movie. Our purpose has been to create more awareness and increase numbers.”
Japan recorded 88,000 arrivals from India in 2014 and a growth of 17 per cent in the FY 2013-2014. This year the tourism organisation is expecting 100,000 arrivals from India. “Presently Mumbai and Delhi are our two major gateways with Air India, Japan Airlines and ANA offering direct connectivity. Since we have a small base our major concentration will remain in these cities. However, travel trade shows like SATTE and OTM enable us to connect with travel agents from smaller regions of India as well.”