India to launch aggressive marketing of Buddhist sites in Japan

New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni will be in Japan for three days to undertake aggressive promotion of India and its Buddhist sites during the annual World Travel Fair in Tokyo, organised by the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA).

She would leave tomorrow and would return on September 14, Tourism Ministry sources said here today.

During her stay in Tokyo, she would deliver a keynote address at 'Incredible India' seminar and address the Japanese travel trade and media during a road show being organised by the India Tourism office.

Sources said India would launch an aggressive campaign at the Fair to attract more tourists from Japan, one of the leading tourist generating markets for India. As many as 120,000 tourists from Japan visited india during 2006 -- an increase of over 15.5 per cent as compared to the previous year.

As part of the observance of 2007 as "India-Japan Tourism Exchange Year", the Tourism Ministry had been organising a number of promotional activities to showcase and promote India as a tourist destination in the Japanese market.

An India Pavilion is being set up by the Ministry in an area of 72 sq mt with participation of the State Governments of Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu&Kashmir and Sikkim as well as Travel Trade representatives as co-exhibitors.

The Buddhist sites have remianed the most sought-after destinations of Japanese tourists in India, though Taj Mahal always finds a place in their itinerary.

Varanasi, Khajuraho, Ajanta and Ellora are the other destinations frequently visited by the tourists.

India has planned to aggressively promote sites connected to life and teachings of Buddha which are spread all across in India-- from Leh in the North to Amravati in the South, Arunachal Pradesh in the East to Ajanta Ellora in the West-- to increase the tourist arrivals from Japan.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has been assisting India in developing infrastructure in Buddhist destinations.

With assistance of JBIC, Ajanta-Ellora Conservation and Tourism Development Project (Phase-I) was undertaken in Maharashtra with a loan to the tune of 3,745 million Japanese Yen.

After the successful completion of Phase-I, a loan agreement was signed in 2003 whereby JBIC agreed on providing the loan assistance of 7,331 Japanese Yen or Rs 299.2 crore for the Phase-II development at Ajanta Ellora.

In 2005, a loan agreement for the Development of Buddhist Circuit in Uttar Pradesh was also signed with JBIC. This project includes improving infrastructure at Buddhist sites at Sarnath, Kushinagar, Kapilvastu, Sravasti and Sankisa.

UNI