29 March 2014

Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomes Muslim travellers

Source: Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau (YCVB) has announced that its new Muslim Tourist Information microsite within the English version of the official Yokohama Visitors' Guide website is getting noticed by Muslims in Southeast Asia

The Muslim Tourist Information website was set up in December 2013 to introduce places such as tourist facilities, restaurants, halal shops and mosques based on recommendations by Muslims living in Yokohama. In a questionnaire concerning this website conducted on Muslims in Southeast Asia, more than 90% said they find the information on restaurants, mosques, and suggested itineraries to be useful. 

YCVB has focused on attracting tourists from Southeast Asia from 2013, setting up booths at tourism fairs in countries like Thailand and Malaysia as well as receiving media organisation representatives from Southeast Asian countries to show them around Yokohama

As part of its efforts to welcoming Muslim tourists, YCVB has been working on ways to help Muslims feel more comfortable during their stay in Yokohama, including organising training for tourism-related businesses on how to receive Muslim travellers and distributing brochures for Muslim travellers at tourist information centres.

Yokohama is Japan's second biggest city after Tokyo, located near the capital with a population of 3.7 million. The city has  an eye on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as it works to increase its tourism infrastructure for visitors.