With KSA neighbouring Bahrain, a high volume of Saudis also makes up this local visitor number. The tourist market from outside the region now stands at around 10%-15%, says Budzynski.
The outlet had to think hard and fast about how it could find its feet again undergoing a rebranding process and educating consumers on the diversity of Japanese cuisine.
“We kept the name Bushido but dropped the part ‘Japanese Cuisine’ which was limiting our mode of operations to a Japanese restaurant at a time here when Japanese cuisine was perceived as being limited to just sushi and sashimi,” says Budzynski. “Even in our PR we wouldn’t use sushi, sashimi or raw fish, instead focusing on our cooked items.”
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But a firm decision was made not to close the outlet altogether: “The first question was not: should we open or should we close it? It was where we stood, gauged against the opportunity for us to maximise revenue or to reduce loss.
March last year – it wasn’t a loss, it was a break even. The only month that was a loss was Ramadan which is normal. The whole idea was why should we close if we’re not losing money?” he asserts.
The outlet was re-jigged to maximise revenue and minimise loss with the lounge being relocated to downstairs. The sushi bar was converted into a normal bar. The centre of the outlet formed the restaurant and the lounge was situated along the surrounding areas. Staffing changes were also made.
“Some of the contracts expired; some people were unable to stay in Bahrain because of the situation, we didn’t force them to stay – we looked at everything to see how to reduce costs to a minimum.”
As a result May, June and July 2011 turned higher revenues than expected thanks to the newfound versatility.
“We have different segments and a lot of different targets – there is something for everyone,” says Budzynski.
This has allowed the venue to host a number of events such as fashion shows, jazz nights and
nightclub events with international DJs as well as intimate dinners in its restaurant settings. It has rolled out a number of promotions including ladies nights and business lunches to attract people to the venue.
Things are slowly improving but there is a long way to go.
“The hotel occupancy around Bahrain is still not as high as it was before...I would say the outlet is still doing well – not as well as it used to but well considering the market is still affected,” says Budzynski.
Venues are offering more to drive in custom making the competition tough he says, but in terms of development, healthy competition is driving a more professional industry: “It is helping the market to grow through innovation and creativity because we are working to do something better,” he says.
The future for Bushido, Budzynski believes, looks bright. Having worked in the past for the Jumeirah Group, he sees global potential for the brand, saying “It has something special, other restaurants do not”.
“I believe Bushido is the new Buddha Bar meaning that there is a whole concept behind Bushido. We look at what the customer wants and put things in that are unique for this market. We will continue to push for the best to deliver high sales. We all hope there is further development in Bahrain and hope to see Bushido in other territories like Dubai,” he concludes.
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