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Kerala’s traditional Ayurveda and its unique backwaters found more admirers in Japan after they were showcased at the Kerala theme pavilion as part of the JATA Tourism Expo. One of the biggest travel events in the world, the JATA Tourism Expo, held at the Tokyo Big Sight, the biggest convention centre in Japan, saw heavy footfall at the Kerala pavilion throughout the three days of the event.
Describing the response from the domestic trade as 'tremendous', Mr. P. I. Sheik Pareeth, Director, Kerala Tourism said, "The Japanese tour operators and the public were eager to know more about Kerala. Most of them asked for Ayurveda treatments and backwater cruises in Kerala."
It is for the second time that Kerala is taking part in JATA, which saw participation by as many as 970 travel and tourism companies from the 47 prefectures of Japan and delegations from over 150 countries.
“The embassy will support to help promote Kerala in the East-Asian island nation. Kerala is largely an unexplored holiday destination for the Japanese, who are generally great travellers," said Ms. Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, Indian Ambassador to Japan, who visited the Kerala pavilion at the JATA Tourism Expo.
Kerala Tourism is buoyed by the keen interest shown by the Japanese tour operators as well as the media in the tourism products offered by the State. Major Japanese travel companies such as Nippon Travel, HIS Travels, Nikko Travel and JTB Tours, held discussions with Kerala Tourism and its trade partners. Several editors and journalists representing leading Japanese publications also visited the Kerala pavilion.
Japan Airlines, the Japanese national carrier, is considering a code-sharing arrangement with an Indian domestic airline following the huge response to Kerala’s destinations from the Japanese travel sector. At present, Singapore and Malaysia serve as transit points to fly to Kerala.
