Japan and India sign memorandum for tourism cooperation
New Delhi : India and Japan noted that there is a high potential to be explored in the area of people-to-people exchanges between India and Japan and expressed their intention to make utmost effort for the expansion of exchange of peoples in various fields.
In the joint statement issued after summit-level talks held here between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the two leaders expressed their expectation to enhance cooperation between the two countries on development of human resources, and matching activities in the area of content industry.
The two sides noted Japan’s participation as a partner country in the India International Trade Fair in Delhi and the International Film Festival of India 2013 in Goa.
Prime Minister Singh appreciated Japan’s decision on relaxation of visa requirements for Indian ordinary passport holders while Prime Minister Abe welcomed India’s consideration for relaxing visa requirements for Japanese ordinary passport holders.
According to Press Information Bureau of India , India and Japan have entered into a Memorandum for strengthening cooperation in the field of tourism. The Memorandum was signed between Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Japan Tourism Agency, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure , Transport and Tourism, Government of Japan in New Delhi on 22nd January, 2014.
Mr. Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism in his capacity as Director General, Tourism and Mr. Shigeto Kubo, Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency signed the Memorandum.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Shigeto Kubo, Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency expressed the hope that the Memorandum would facilitate travel and tourist visits and further strengthen the tourism partnership between the two countries.
Mr. Parvez Dewan , Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India said that religious tourism in the form of Buddhist heritage sites is a great attraction for Japanese tourists to India. He said that Japanese tourists have been availing visa-on-arrival in a major way and the highest number of visas on arrival were issued to the tourists from Japan during 2013, as in previous years.
Japan is an important source market for Indian Tourism. During 2013, India received 2.20 lakh tourists from Japan.
This Memorandum between India and Japan is intended to serve as the key instrument for greater action oriented cooperation and further strengthening the close tourism partnership between the two countries.
