Manama ‘capital of Gulf Tourism’
MANAMA: A promising future awaits the tourism sector in the Gulf region as it is witnessing radical leaps and rapid growth in tourism investments, the CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority said. In an interview with KUNA, Sara Buhiji stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain supported integrated tourism efforts among GCC countries, with joint efforts currently being exerted between the GCC countries to promote the Arabian Gulf as a single tourism destination.
On the occasion of selecting Manama as the capital of Gulf tourism for the year 2024, Buhiji said that Bahrain was ready to launch various programs and festivals throughout 2024 to entertain tourists of all ages and backgrounds. The activities will include musical and cultural performances, seaside activities, and historical and sports tourism, adding that the authority is developing various activities and resorts to be launched in the summer.
Buhiji said that the authority will also launch several activities on the occasion of Eid, including exclusive hotel and travel special offers and art, cultural, and entertainment activations from April 9–14. On hosting the 33rd Arab League summit, Buhiji said that it would be a great opportunity to review Bahrain’s tourism achievements and attract tourists all around the world.
She added that work is underway to establish more tourism projects, hotels, and partnerships with major travel and tourism agencies and airline companies in the market. It is worth noting that the number of Kuwaiti tourists in 2023 increased by 7 percent compared to 2022. Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority launched a calendar with all the activities for the year 2024 on their website.