Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Dubai office exhibited a booth for Japan and its embassy, at Tourista Expo 2024, which was held for the first time in Kuwait at Assima Mall.
The event that was held from June 21 to 22, provided networking opportunities for travel agencies, airlines and other tourism-related organisations, and a showcase for their products.
Japan was the only country exhibiting a booth, indicating the growing prospects of the country as a new overseas travel destination in Kuwait, a statement said.
The Japan booth distributed pamphlets and information about the diverse tourist attractions of various parts of Japan, introduced EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai scheduled to be held in 2025, and provided consultations on visa applications by the embassy to encourage visitors to Japan.
During the event, the Embassy of Japan in Kuwait hosted a networking opportunity to exchange opinions with Kuwaiti travel agencies handling outbound travel to Japan, at a Japanese restaurant in the venue mall.
JNTO participated in the networking opportunity and interacted with not only Kuwaiti consumers but also local travel professionals.
“It was our utmost pleasure to meet many enthusiastic people who are interested in visiting Japan at our booth at Tourista Expo 2024 and to promote our unique tourism offerings of Japan face-to-face,” said Kobayashi Daisuke.
“The number of Kuwaiti nationals visiting Japan in 2023 increased by 44.0% compared to 2019 before the pandemic, reaffirming Japan's appeal as a sought-after destination among Kuwaitis.
“The resumption and increase of direct flights from the GCC region to Japan have played a pivotal role in facilitating this growth. Notable examples include the launch of Doha-Tokyo Haneda direct daily flights by Japan Airlines in March 2024.
“The number of visitors to Japan from GCC countries rapidly recovered in 2023, and it continued to grow at an even stronger rate in the first quarter of 2024, increasing by 15.1% compared to the same period last year.” – TradeArabia News Service
