New touch of flavour to tourism ties with Japan: Bahrain

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Bahrain has gone full out to woo Japanese families to sample the delights of the desert kingdom during a successful trade and partnership mission to Tokyo.On the sidelines of an official visit of a Bahraini economic delegation, headed by Industry and Commerce Minister Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, moves were made to enhance tourism co-operation.

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority CEO Dr Nasser Qaedi held several meetings and talks with senior Japanese officials in the tourism, hospitality, entertainment, trade and industry sectors to discuss ways to also drive more Japanese tourism investments.He optimistically believes the sessions may ‘unfold brighter horizons of growth and prosperity’ thanks to ‘robust historic bonds between Manama and Tokyo’ and mutual moves to make tourism one of the ‘backbones’ of their economies.

The senior delegation also included Sustainable Development Minister Noor Al Khulaif.During the visit, Dr Qaedi met the head of the Japan National Tourism Organisation, executive officials at the Japan Tourism Agency, well-reputed travel agency representatives, Japanese manufacturers and hospitality experts to pave the way to produce ‘special tourism packages’ and sign agreements to ‘market Bahrain as a unique tourism destination’ for visitors, in partnership with regional airlines.He also held talks with hotel managers and restaurants about the possibility of opening up new branches and investing in new hospitality projects in Bahrain.One of Japan’s hottest food attractions appears to have bitten at the chance to expand in the Gulf region.

“We were thrilled to learn about the extensive support and assistance available to us to open our Japanese BBQ restaurant ‘Gyu-Kaku’ in Bahrain,” said president and executive director of parent company Colowide, which currently operates 800 of the popular Japanese yakiniku restaurants worldwide.“Having this kind of support is crucial to our expansion overseas and we look forward to bringing this unique and authentic Japanese dining experience to Bahrain soon,” he added.Dr Qaedi met with jewellery associations and businesses to negotiate a large delegation presence of Japanese companies to participate in the upcoming shows and exhibitions in the kingdom and discover the charms of world-renowned Bahraini gold.Chetan Palriwala, who represents a leading jeweller based in Tokyo, said his company and others were ‘looking forward’ to a significant presence at the next edition of Jewellery Arabia.

There was also ‘numerous reciprocal potential’ to improve co-ordination with Japan and exchange delegations, which will benefit tourism returns and traffic in both nations, the delegation concluded.Fahad Fawzi Kanoo, chairman of Kanoo Travel, outlined that Japan was considered one of the major tourism destinations across the Asian continent and had a lot of tourism expertise, making it ‘an ideal model to follow’ and use to help build Bahrain’s tourism industry.Japan has 21 World Heritage Sites, including Himeji Castle, historic monuments of Ancient Kyoto and Nara.

Popular foreigner attractions include Tokyo and Hiroshima, Mount Fuji, ski resorts such as Niseko in Hokkaido, Okinawa, riding the Shinkansen and taking advantage of Japan’s hotel and hot-spring network.The two countries have a history of successful economic co-operation, with Japan being one of the kingdom’s major trading partners. Trade between them began in 1934, when the first shipment of Bahraini oil arrived in Yokohama.