Journey to Lithuania starts at the Lithuanian Embassy in Tokyo
On January 25th Lithuanian Embassy in Tokyo organized seminar about tourism opportunities in Lithuania for Japanese tour operators and media representatives. Although new 2017 year has just started, it is already second seminar on tourism at the Lithuanian Embassy.
Lithuanian Ambassador to Japan Mr. Egidijus Meilūnas happily admitted that number of Japanese tourists is constantly increasing every year, and that already more than ten years Japan is the most important inbound tourism market of Asia for Lithuania.
Ambassador also introduced to the audience already 7th updated version of small travel guidebook “Kelionė į Lietuvą” (“Journey to Lithuania”). This popular book is made in joint efforts with well-known Japanese designer Ms. Saori Matsuda. Book contains 24 pages of comprehensive information about famous sightseeing places in Lithuania, long-standing traditions, handicrafts, Lithuanian cuisine, and main Lithuanian words.
“Many Japanese start their journey to Lithuania with this book and first contacts with Lithuanian Embassy” – highlighted Ambassador Meilūnas.
Head of Tourism Policy Division of Lithuanian Ministry of Economy Mr. Renaldas Čiužas introduced seminar audience with a new concept of Lithuanian tourism promotion “Lithuania. Real is Beautiful”. Kaunas City Vice-Mayor Mr. Simonas Kairys presented Kaunas – Lithuanian city of Chiune Sugihara, famous Japanese diplomat, who saved more than 6000 Jews with issuing transit visas to Japan in 1939-1940. Representative of Lithuanian State Department of Tourism Mr. Shigeyoshi Noto presented UNESCO heritage in Lithuania, the most famous sightseeing spots, Lithuanian traditions and customs, peculiarities of Lithuanian cuisine. The seminar was very well attended – Embassy welcomed more than 60 representatives of Japanese tourism business and media.
Lithuanian Embassy organizes more than 20 tourism promotion seminars in various Japanese cities and fairs annually. Number of Japanese tourists, visiting Lithuania, has grown 2.5 times during last 5 years. 21 thousand Japanese have visited Lithuania in 2015, while in the period of January-September of 2016 – more than 19 thousand.
By the number of tourists, Japan confidently surpasses other countries of Asia-Pacific region – Japanese visitors constitute more than 30 percent of foreign tourists in Lithuania from this vast region.
