In 2024, Japan noticed 233,000 Indians go to the nation, a 40% improve from the earlier yr, in accordance with knowledge from Japan Nationwide Tourism Group.
What’s behind this increase? The largest issue: Elevated air connectivity making Japan extra accessible than ever to Indian vacationers. The winter 2024-2025 schedule options 26 weekly direct flights connecting Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru to Japan.
“Improved connectivity by elevated flight frequencies and promotional fares has considerably improved the journey expertise for Indian vacationers, making Japan extra accessible and reasonably priced,” Ryo Bunno, government director at JNTO, Delhi workplace, instructed Skift.
In 2024, direct flights between Bengaluru and Tokyo elevated from three to 5 per week, with plans to quickly broaden this to a day by day service, in accordance with Bunno.
And the place direct connectivity has not been potential, codeshare agreements have come in useful to attach Tier-2 Indian cities to Japan. Bunno stated Japan would additional look to extend connectivity between the 2 nations.
“A prospering Indian financial system and improved direct airline connectivity with codeshare agreements have made journey to Japan extra accessible from a number of Indian cities,” he stated. “To maintain this, we intention to strengthen these initiatives, discover new and deeper engagement channels, and align with rising journey traits.”
Final yr, Japan additionally launched eVisas for Indian travellers.
How Journey Brokers Drive Indian Arrivals
Japan is doubling down on its India technique, and it’s paying off. In line with Bunno, one of many largest development drivers has additionally been Japan’s hands-on strategy to partaking with India’s journey trade.
“Since most Indian vacationers plan their journeys by journey brokers or private suggestions, we’ve made it a precedence to work instantly with journey professionals,” Bunno stated.
That technique was in full power in 2024, with JNTO’s Delhi workplace rolling out B2B roadshows throughout key cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, bringing collectively 19 Japanese sellers and 219 Indian brokers.
Japan’s participation in enterprise boards additionally proved to be a game-changer, significantly for the MICE (Conferences, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector. Incentive journey bookings are on the rise, and there’s a noticeable shift past Tokyo. Kansai and Hiroshima at the moment are rising as key locations for company teams.
“In 2024 we noticed MICE motion to new areas, as some incentive excursions itineraries prolonged to Kansai and Hiroshima. Earlier than this, Tokyo had been the only real MICE vacation spot,” Bunno famous.
However Japan isn’t stopping at B2B engagement. Final yr additionally noticed a shift in direction of direct shopper outreach. The Japan Journey Honest, a consumer-facing occasion, helped put Japan on the radar for Indian vacationers past conventional company circles.
Tourism Past the Golden Route
Whereas Indian guests proceed to favor Japan’s famed ‘Golden Route’— Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima — the tourism board can also be pushing to diversify journey itineraries. And for this, JNTO is popping to the trusted journey agent and coaching them.
Coaching classes, such because the Toyama Prefecture Tourism Seminar in Delhi, have additionally helped JNTO to incorporate new locations into Indian journey packages, Bunno stated. Via these coaching classes for journey brokers, Japan is laying the groundwork for extra numerous itineraries that stretch past the well-trodden Golden Route.
The tourism board has additionally organized journeys to equip journey brokers with firsthand data, to higher promote these locations to Indian vacationers.
With Japan gearing up for Expo 2025, JNTO is leveraging the worldwide occasion to draw much more Indian guests. Whereas many are anticipated to go to Osaka and Kyoto, the tourism boards can also be working to place the neighboring locations of Nara and Kobe as compelling add-ons.
The Flip Facet
Japan’s tourism increase has not come with out challenges. With over 36.8 million worldwide arrivals in 2024 — far surpassing 2019’s document, resort costs have skyrocketed. Capsule inns, as soon as thought-about an reasonably priced possibility, are additionally seeing rising charges. Customary resort rooms in Tokyo now common $130 per night time, an virtually 63% surge from $80 pre-pandemic.
In March 2026, standard Japanese vacation spot Kyoto will increase resort lodging tax to a most of JPY 10,000 ($64) per night time for rooms priced at JPY 100,000 ($640) or greater. Kyoto’s present lodging tax is capped at JPY 1,000 ($6.40) per particular person per night time.
This transfer goals to handle challenges corresponding to overtourism whereas funding important metropolis infrastructure enhancements.
In line with estimates, the lodging taxes are anticipated to herald round 12.6 billion yen ($80 million), per yr, double the present receipts. Japan targets to herald 60 million annual guests by 2030.
