To further increase tourism demand from the Middle East to Japan, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Emirates on October 30 to jointly promote Japan as a destination of choice for travellers from the Middle East seeking authentic, unique and luxurious experiences.

The multi-faceted promotional campaign will target consumers throughout the Gulf Countries by undertaking various joint online and media activities.

Key target markets include the UAE, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Emirates will focus on increasing traffic from the region to three of its Japanese points – Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda and Kansai International Airport in Osaka.

In March 2019 JNTO and the Japan Tourism Agency highlighted the Middle East as a new key market for strategic development, within which increased marketing activities will take place based on the market’s high potential for luxury-based outbound travel. Since then the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has strengthened its promotional presence within the region, which has included participation at the Arabian Travel Market 2019 in April, and its appointment of a representative office in Dubai with Aviareps in September 2019. Prior to the signing of the MOC with Emirates, joint promotional seminars were also held with leading travel agencies in the UAE on October 29 and 30, 2019.

JNTO is also planning to open a direct office in the UAE in 2020, through which promotional activities in the region will be further strengthened.