The JICA booth
summary
Event Name: Tourism Expo Japan 2023 Osaka-Kansai
(Project name) Mongolia “Sustainable Tourism Policy” Expert Dispatch, Uzbekistan “Tourism Promotion Advisor” Expert Dispatch
Date: Thursday, October 26 – Sunday, October 29, 2023 (4 days in total) (26th and 27th: industry days, 28th and 29th: general days)
Organizers: Japan Association for the Promotion of Tourism, Japan Association of Travel Agents, Japan National Tourist Organization
Location: INTEX Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Booth name: Welcome to Mongolia x JICA, Central Asia x JICA
Seminar Title: Tourism Professional Seminar “Five Central Asian Countries and Japan Connected by the Silk Road: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Their Attractions!
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) exhibited at INTEX Osaka (Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) for four days from Thursday, October 26 as part of its cooperation to promote tourism development in Mongolia and five Central Asian countries (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan). Tourism EXPO Japan, one of the largest tourism expositions in the world, was held at INTEX Osaka (Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) for four days from Thursday, October 26, 2012.
On Thursday the 26th and Friday the 27th, business meetings and seminars were held between exhibitors from each country and Japanese tourism businesses as industry days, where active exchanges of opinions and networking took place to attract visitors from Japan. The following two days, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th, were open to the general public, with approximately 50,000 visitors each day, and performances of traditional dances and musical performances at booths and on special stages attracted many visitors. Exhibitors from the five countries of Mongolia and Central Asia brought their unique products, pamphlets with rich tourism resources, and traditional costumes to showcase their diverse attractions as tourist destinations.
The Mongolia booth
Overview of Exhibits in Mongolia
JICA has been cooperating with Mongolia in the promotion of sustainable tourism development by dispatching experts on “sustainable tourism policy” to Mongolia, As part of this effort, JICA supported Mongolia’s participation in Tourism Expo Japan 2023.
A large booth with adorable designs was set up at this year’s exhibition, with objects of sand from the Gobi Desert and fossilized dinosaur eggs. Mongolian actors Barslkhagva Batbold and Tsaschikher Khatanzorig also took the stage for photo sessions and stage performances, encouraging visitors to visit Mongolia, which proved popular. Many Japanese tourism operators visited the business meeting every day and actively exchanged opinions with Mongolian tourism operators.
Performers in traditional Mongolian costumes
Business meetings at the Mongolia booth
Overview of Joint Exhibit by 5 Central Asian Countries
The five Central Asian countries (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan) have close historical ties with Japan, share common tourism resources such as the Silk Road, and have high potential for tourism development in cooperation over a wide area. JICA dispatches “Tourism Promotion Advisors” to Uzbekistan to promote tourism development in wide-area cooperation centering on Uzbekistan, and supported the joint exhibition as a part of such cooperation.
A large booth was set up at the venue, where all five countries came together to promote their unique products, pamphlets with information on their rich tourism resources, and traditional costumes. In addition, JICA and the five Central Asian countries co-hosted a seminar for Japanese tourism operators to give presentations on the attractiveness of tourism destinations in the five countries and to hold exchange meetings for business matching. Through video and photographs, the unique culture, history, and unspoiled natural beauty of the five countries were conveyed.
A view of the Central Asia booth
Seminar for Japanese tourism operators
Based on the experience of exhibiting at the tourism expo, JICA will continue to promote tourism development cooperation with relevant parties in Mongolia and the five Central Asian countries.
Stage performances from Central Asia
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