‘Japanese tourist flow far below potential’

The number of Japanese tourists coming annually to India has grown from 59,122 in 1990 to 103,082 in 2005, a compounded annual growth rate of 5.4 per cent. Compared to the potential that the country has for attracting Japanese tourists, this number is small, revealed a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) study titled “India past and present: Potential for Japanese tourists”. About 6.3 times more tourists come to India from the UK, and 5.9 times more from the US.

In its bid to attract Japanese tourists, India faces competition from destinations like South Korea (which in 2005 attracted

14 per cent), Hawaii (8.7 per cent), and Australia (3.9 per cent). India, in comparison, got a measly 0.6 per cent of the pie. However, as Amit Mitra, secretary general, FICCI pointed out, “One advantage that we enjoy is that it is the land where Buddhism, Japan’s major religion, was founded.” The FICCI study outlines initiatives and strategies that could help India emerge as a major destination for Japanese tourists.