TravTalk India Online Magazine
To offer Indian travellers newer options and more reasons to visit Japan, Japan National Tourism Organization is promoting the Alpine route, new regional destinations, as well as the autumn season. Ryo Bunno, Executive Director, JNTO Delhi office, shares details on the new experiences that travel agents can add to their itineraries.
Hazel Jain
Ryo Bunno, Executive Director, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Delhi office, is impressed with the Indian market. Having recently concluded a three-city roadshow in India (in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru) he reflects, “The Indian travel agents now demonstrate a deeper understanding and maturity in selling Japan as a destination. Increasingly, agent queries are shifting beyond the well-known Golden Route, which includes Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, to explore unique experiences in other regions of Japan.”
The roadshow had a delegation of 19 Japanese sellers from hotels, transportation, city and regional tourism boards, cultural and traditional experiences, and amusement parks. The show in New Delhi, organised for the first time ever, marked a significant milestone in promoting Japan as a travel destination.
Bunno adds, “Notably, the trend of FIT is on the rise, particularly from Mumbai, reflecting a shift in traveller’s preferences for personalised itineraries and offbeat experiences. We recorded about 192,500 Indian visitors to Japan between January and October in 2024, which was an all-time high. October 2024 alone saw approximately 21,700 visitors from India, marking a remarkable 29.2 per cent increase compared to the 16,800 visitors in October 2023. The numbers jumped from October 2023 and continued to rise every month. We expect to reach 2 lakh Indian visitors in 2024 and more than that in 2025.”
With 47 unique prefectures and distinct seasonal experiences, Indian agents have abundant opportunities to promote Japan’s diverse destinations, rich cultural heritage, and breathtaking natural beauty, offering travellers year-round exploration.
He says that while Indians prefer the Golden Route, as well as the cherry blossom season, his office is now promoting regional areas and other seasons like autumn, which is also very beautiful and draws fewer people and less crowded. “Japan has a lot of attractions, and traffic to our Alpine Route is also increasing. It is close to Tokyo. Hokkaido is also an upcoming destination. We also have unique regional areas like Kyushu and Okinawa,” he says.
Nibedita Roy, Manager, JNTO Delhi Office, adds, “Not only are the agents asking about the regular itineraries, but they are also inquiring about offbeat places. Mumbai has shown the path to the other parts of the country. Ten years ago, Japan was perceived only as a commercial destination. But now, Japan has become a popular leisure destination and Mumbai has been a pioneer in that.
