Phase two of ''Incredible India'' tourism campaign launched in Japan

New Delhi, Nov 7 (UNI) India Tourism has launched its second phase of the "Incredible India" outdoor advertising campaign in Tokyo to attract more tourists from Japan.

Indian Ambassador in Japan H K Singh launched the campaign in Tokyo yesterday by flagging off the first public bus wrapped in Incredible India images.

This public bus will ply for two months in the fashionable and trendy quarters of Tokyo from Shibuya to Roppongi.

Tourism Ministry sources said this launch was followed by an India Evening attended by major opinion makers, media personalities and a cross section from the tourism and travel industry.

A Yoga Performance by Japanese artistes from the Indian Cultural Center provided another vignette of tourist attractions in India.

In the first phase, ten eco-friendly Velo Taxis wrapped in images of India's tourism products were flagged off at Ginza, the fashion district of this city on September 18 this year and they have been plying for the last two months with Japanese drivers looking colorful in Incredible India T-shirts and Rajasthani turbans.

"The impact of the Outdoor Advertising campaign already yielded significant increase in bookings received by the travel industry from this market," a top official of the ministry said here today.

Japan is a prime tourist generating market for India with 146,000 arrivals in 2007, including repeat visitors from this market.

"It is expected that in the coming months this figure will increase further," the official said.

Outdoor advertising as well as organising of mega promotional events is the strategy adopted for East Asian Markets.

On December 15, an Incredible India Golf Tournament is being organised in Tokyo followed by launch of a subway train wrapped in Incredible India images in Seoul, South Korea.

UNI SH RR KN1730