Based on the priorities of highlighting Bahrain’s position as a global tourist hub, increasing the number of targeted countries to attract more tourists, and diversifying tourism products, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority was eager to promote Bahrain in Japan, the world’s third-largest economy with over 4 trillion USD and one of the world’s most innovative and economically efficient countries, in order to attract larger numbers of Japanese tourists and upsurge Japanese investments in the hospitality sector across the Kingdom.
On the sidelines of the official visit of the Bahraini economic delegation to Tokyo headed by Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, Industry and Commerce Minister, accompanied by Noor bint Ali Al Khulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, Dr. Nasser Qaedi, CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, held multiple meetings and talks with senior Japanese officials in the tourism, hospitality, entertainment, trade, and industry sectors to discuss ways to enhance mutual cooperation in tourism and drive more Japanese tourism investments in the local market.
Dr. Qaedi affirmed that tourism cooperation between Bahrain and Japan is expected to unfold brighter horizons of growth and prosperity thanks to the robust historic bonds between Manama and Tokyo, as well as mutual interests between the two countries in making tourism the backbone of the economy.
During this official visit, Dr. Qaedi met the head of the Japan National Tourism Organization, executive officials at the Japan Tourism Agency, well-reputed travel agency representatives, Japanese manufacturers, and hospitality experts, negotiating opportunities to double the number of Japanese tourists to Bahrain.
Dr. Qaedi also held talks with prominent hotel managers in Japan and famous Japanese restaurants about the possibility of opening up new branches and investing in new hospitality projects in Bahrain.
More discussions were held between the CEO of the BTEA and the largest travel agencies in Japan, with the goal of determining the best ways to produce special tourism packages and signing agreements to market Bahrain as a unique tourism destination for Japanese travelers in partnership with regional airlines.
Additionally, Dr. Qaedi met with Japanese Jewellery associations and businesses to negotiate a large delegation presence of Japanese companies to participate in the upcoming Jewellery shows and exhibitions in the Kingdom and discover the charms of the world-renowned Bahraini gold.
Dr. Qaedi highlighted to Japanese officials and investors the main objectives of the 2022–2026 tourism strategy: to increase tourism's contribution as a promising sector in GDP and attract more tourists across the globe, especially from East Asia.
President and Executive Director of COLOWIDE Co., Ltd., Mr. Kohei Nojiri stated: "It was a pleasure meeting Dr. Nasser Qaedi, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority. We were thrilled to learn about the extensive support and assistance available to us to open our Japanese BBQ restaurant "Gyu-Kaku" in Bahrain. Having this kind of support is crucial to our expansion overseas since we face challenges such as understanding local cultures, identifying market demands, and selecting partners. Currently, the COLOWIDE Group operates 800 Gyu-Kaku restaurants worldwide, and we look forward to bringing this unique and authentic Japanese dining experience to Bahrain soon.”
Representing one of the leading Jewelry companies based in Tokyo, Mr. Chetan Palriwala stated: “We are looking forward to a significant participation of our Japanese Jewellers and buyers in this year’s Jewellry Arabia exhibition and with great appreciation to the support of the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority for their promotion and assistance following our valued meetings in Tokyo.”
Dr. Qaedi expressed his gratitude for various prestigious hotel and restaurant businesses' efforts to negotiate the establishment of a presence in Bahrain and launch new branches, reflecting the Kingdom’s position as a favorable tourism destination in the region and its strategic location at the heart of the Arab Gulf.
The BTEA CEO stated that the Kingdom had numerous excellent tourism competencies that enable it to attract more tourists from Asia, particularly Japan, through tourism diversification, which includes entertainment, sports, MICE and business, family tourism, and more.
Dr. Qaedi lauded Japan's tourism potential, citing its ancient heritage and historic civilization, as well as its abundance of various touristic attractions, which has made it an Asian pioneer in the tourism business. He stated that there are numerous reciprocal potentials to improve coordination with Japan and exchange delegations, which will benefit tourism returns and traffic in both nations.
Meanwhile, Bahraini entrepreneurs acknowledged the formal visit to Tokyo was a success. According to Fahad Fawzi Kanoo, chairman of Kanoo Travel, Japan is considered one of the major tourism destinations across the Asian continent and has a lot of tourism expertise, making it an ideal model to follow and use to build the Kingdom's tourism industry.
On his part, Yoko Tours owner Hasan Bader Kaiksow added that the official visit was fruitful, negotiating possibilities of creating special promotions for Japanese tourists who want to visit Bahrain throughout the year, emphasized the importance of attracting well-known Japanese trademarks to start new businesses in the Kingdom, and benefiting from the experience of globally prominent Japanese names in the hospitality industry.
According to Mohammed AbdulAal All Foods owner mentioned: “this visit has been a golden opportunity to learn more about the leading hospitality key players in Japan as many Bahrainis and expatriates are fond of the Japanese cuisines and its delectable dishes. This fruitful visit has set the path for more knowledge and experience exchange, as well as major Japanese tourism investments in the Kingdom."
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