Japan-India Tourism Exchange Year Nears Grand Finale with Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

New Delhi. March 11, 2025

The India-Japan Year of Tourism Exchange was launched to commemorate the 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries that was announced in a meeting between PM Modi and PM Fumio Kishida in 2023. The year-long celebration was aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties through the realms of culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges. While the extension was announced for another year, during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visit to Japan, making it a two-year event. This extension reiterates the seriousness with which both countries view their relations and their desire to further strengthen them. The extra year witnessed more events such as cultural exhibitions, academic collaborations, and exchanges, thereby enhancing bonds amongst the people of India and Japan.

The Japan-India Tourism Exchange Year (April 2023 - March 2025) is nearing its grand finale. Last year, around 400,000 people traveled between Japan and India, setting the highest record ever! The bond between our nations continues to strengthen ( Source Embassy of Japan in India).

As the "India-Japan Tourism Exchange Year" for both countries will end in March 2025, the cooperation between the two countries will be in scientific and technological activities such as clean energy, AI and space exploration, and advanced manufacturing through technological expertise from Japan and innovative potential from India.

The JNTO Delhi Office (DEL) has played a pivotal role in maximizing travel from India to Japan by providing stakeholders from both countries with insights into the current state of the Indian market, its challenges, and potential solutions. Ryo Bunno, Executive Director of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) in India informed "From October 2023 onward, the trend surpassed pre-pandemic levels, and this momentum accelerated in 2024, reaching a record-high of 233,000 visitors. It was the first time that the number of Indian visitors to Japan exceeded 200,000. JNTO Delhi Office made efforts." He added "The growth of the inbound tourism market in 2023 and 2024 was driven by the support of the Japan-India Tourism Exchange Years designated by both governments, as well as the dedicated efforts of stakeholders such as travel agencies, airlines, Japanese municipalities, overseas diplomatic missions, and other government organizations. In essence, the entire industry, through a public-private partnership, has collectively propelled this growth. "

As the final chapter of the Tourism Exchange Years unfolds, Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have played a key role in numerous events and initiatives across India, organised by the Embassy of Japan, JNTO, and Japan Foundation. These efforts have successfully promoted cultural exchange between the two nations within the Indian market. JAL and ANA shall be committed to continue their support for cultural and people-to-people exchanges, ensuring a dynamic and mutually beneficial relationship between India and Japan. Their ongoing collaboration with local governments, travel agencies, and cultural organizations will further strengthen these ties and foster deeper connections between the two countries.

In an interaction Tsuneya Katagiri, the Country Manager for India at All Nippon Airways (ANA) mentioned, "In the near future, we aim to strengthen the tourism and cultural connections between the two countries by increasing the number of flights between India and Japan, e.g. increasing the frequency of the Mumbai route, resuming the operation of the Chennai route, etc."

"We believe that the flight frequency and capacity play a very important role in simplifying travel between two countries. Hence in this context, we increased flight frequency between Bengaluru and Tokyo from three weekly to five weekly flights. Effective April 2025, this year, we will commence Daily flights between Bengaluru to Tokyo in addition to daily flights from New Delhi to Tokyo. We have started codeshare flights with Indigo which will provide seamless connections from other cities of India to connect onto New Delhi and Bengaluru flights. This will add convenience to travellers to travel from other cities of India to Japan". mentioned Akihito Takei, Vice President & Regional Manager (India) Japan Airlines, during an interaction ahead of the culmination of India Japan Exchange Year.

The India-Japan Tourism Exchange Years were designated to strengthen people-to-people connections and enhance tourism between the two nations. This initiative has proven to be a crucial platform for fostering cultural exchange, deepening economic ties, and promoting mutual understanding, serving as a dynamic bridge that connects the people and cultures of India and Japan.

Embassy of Japan in India mentioned in their social media post, "The Japan-India Tourism Exchange Year (April 2023 - March 2025) is nearing its grand finale. Last year, around 400,000 people traveled between Japan and India, setting the highest record ever! The bond between our nations continues to strengthen" and also posted a video detailing the activities for the period. https://x.com/JapaninIndia/status/1892126864509919670