As a part of promotional strategy to attract more foreign tourists from South-East Asia and Middle-East, the department of Tourism participated in a promotional event in Indian Wedding Fair (IWF), 2008 at Kualalumpur, Malaysia from 24th to 27th April, 2008. The only Indian Wedding Exhibition in the region, Indian Wedding Fair-Indian Products Expo (IWF-IPE) made its’ debut in Malaysia in 2004 as a One-Stop Centre for wedding services and products. Following its success under the “Indian Wedding” theme over the last four (4) years, IWF-IPE is now synonymous with Malaysian-Indian business. There is notably a healthy growing trend of Malaysian-Indian businesses. IWF-IPE is a platform created for business development. There is no event so unique that specially focus on Indian Weddings than IWF-IPE 2008.

Besides, the department of Tourism participated in Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) at Dubai from 6th to 9th May, 2008 currently under way in Dubai. Visitors from 108 countries. International and domestic tour operators, retail and business travel agencies, group travel, incentive travel and conference organizers, corporate travel arrangers, local frequent business and leisure travelers, international press, local consumers participated in the event.

The Department also participated in Bahrain International Travel Expo (BITE), 2008 from 14th to 17th May, 2008. For the fourth consecutive year, Bahrain International Travel Expo - BITE 2008 was held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Bahrain Economic Development Board from 14 - 17 May in the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre. BITE is an annual event organized and managed by Magnum Events and Exhibitions Management - MEEM which aims to showcase current travel trends, projects and new emerging destinations around the world. BITE 2008 contines to live on its objective of being a catalyst to strengthen the rapidly growing tourism business in Bahrain and the region by offering innovative ideas and exciting destinations to existing clients while endeavoring to develop a host of new clientele. BITE offers the ideal platform for the display of novel products, promotions and launches of new products and services in the Tourism Industry.

The participation in these international events is intended to attract more and more foreign tourists from these regions. The people of these regions have shown keen interest in the publicity material that was distributed by the Department there. It is expected that a quantum jump in the number of tourists from these regions shall be registered, as a result of this promotion campaign organized by this Department.