Maldives participates in JATA 2016

The JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2016 kicked off today in Tokyo, Japan, where Maldives was showcased at a stand headed by the Acting Managing Director of MMPRC, Mr. Haris Mohamed and Ambassador of Maldives to Japan, Mr. Ahmed Khaleel. The exhibition was also attended by officials from MMPRC, Maldives Embassy in Japan and as well as 6 representative companies from the tourism industry. This annual event will be taking place from 22 – 25 September 2015, at the Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan.

JATA Tourism Expo Japan is an integrated tourism event organized by the Tabi Fair Japan and JATA “TABUHAKU” Travel showcase which first commenced this joint venture in 2014 and has successfully executed the fair with over 157,589 visitors to have attended the fair, along with the participation of 1129 companies/organizations from 151 countries/regions. This is a well-organized event inclusive of International tourism forums, business meetings, travel showcase, award commendation, and ceremonies. With such diverse industries focusing on tourism, this platform provides various promotional opportunities for all those involved in tourism and the world’s travel professionals. JATA Tourism EXPO Japan continues to grow as a leading international event, helping to promote domestic, overseas and inbound tourism.

With many contributions and assistance from the Maldives Embassy in Japan, several activities will be taking place at the stand, in order to attract more visitors to the stand. A bingo game will take place at the stand during the first public day where a lucky winner will win a holiday package from Veligandu Island Resort & Spa. There will also be a performance of Maldivian songs by a Japanese musician played during the public day. The Japanese market is among the top markets in Maldives but has slightly declined over the years. As of June 2016, there were total 21,358 Japanese tourists to have visited Maldives this year. This is an increase of 8% when compared to the same period in 2015. The Japanese market contributes to attracting a number of the dive segment to Maldives which is a vital segment to the growth of the industry. Japanese travellers enjoy tropical destinations, making Maldives one of the top choices, and while Maldives offers free visa on entry with an easy connection, it is the ideal destination for these travellers.

JATA Tourism EXPO Japan is a great platform to showcase Maldives to a vast audience with organized B2B sessions and public viewers attending the fair throughout the 3-day event. Through right promotion and exposure at JATA, Maldives tourism could have a positive growth with increasing arrivals from the Japanese market once again.