Minister of Tourism holds extensive consultation meeting with tourism sector's key stakeholders
Manama, Aug. 27 (BNA): H.E. Fatima bint Jaffar Al Sairafi, the Minister of Tourism, held an extensive consultation meeting with the tourism sector’s key stakeholders in the Kingdom of Bahrain including private tourism establishments, hotels, hospitality organizations, DMCs, as well as, travel agencies.
The Minister emphasized the commitment of the Ministry of Tourism and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) to enhance the engagement of various tourism facilities within the Kingdom of Bahrain, to drive further growth in the tourism sector.
She highlighted the pivotal role these establishments play in supporting the Ministry of Tourism's and BTEA’s plans, initiatives, and programs. Additionally, she underscored that these facilities are direct beneficiaries of this growth, emphasizing their substantial contributions.
Minister Al Sairafi highlighted that this meeting aligns with the Ministry's ongoing commitment to engage in constant consultations with partners within the private tourism sector. It also reflects the Ministry's practice of holding regular meetings to ensure these partners are well-informed about the progress in the Ministry of Tourism and BTEA’s strategies and initiatives. This includes updates on preparations for the upcoming tourist season and the anticipated role these partners will play in it.
“The dynamic landscape of the tourism industry, coupled with heightened regional and international competitiveness to attract tourists, necessitates a heightened dedication to collaboration and cooperative efforts among all stakeholders in the tourism sector. This collaboration extends across governmental and private entities, with the goal of safeguarding Bahrain's share of the global and regional tourism market. There is also an emphasis on augmenting this share by concentrating on the unique elements and foundational aspects that define Bahrain's tourism sector.” said Minister Al Sairafi.
Minister Al Sairafi highlighted that the tourism sector is presently experiencing a favorable phase of transformation, directly underscoring the remarkable tourism potential across various regions within Bahrain. She urged all stakeholders to capitalize on the abundant opportunities inherent in the sector, advocating for the comprehensive enhancement of Bahrain's tourism framework as a cohesive endeavor.
Dr. Naser Qaedi, CEO of BTEA, highlighted the strategic plans to develop the existing partnerships between BTEA and its main partners in the tourism sector. Dr. Qaedi asserted the BTEA's commitment to provide all kinds of necessary support to its partners, including national calendar licensing and visa support, developing comprehensive marketing plans to promote the tourism packages, developing itineraries in collaboration with the DMCs and hotels, and embarking on promoting Bahrain as a tourism destination with the launch of the Bahrain season of festivities starting in October 2023.
Dr. Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Gulf Air Group, unveiled an ambitious strategy aimed at strengthening the group's role in bolstering the tourism sector within the Kingdom of Bahrain. He outlined a comprehensive plan encompassing three distinct phases, the inaugural phase of which has recently been initiated. This initial phase centers on promoting Bahrain as a desirable stopover for Gulf Air passengers undergoing lengthy transits. The intention is to allow these passengers to venture out of the airport for a few hours and relish the attractions of Bahrain, both in terms of tourism and heritage.
Dr. Goh elaborated that the second phase, slated for launch in the fourth quarter of this year, will involve the national carrier actively encouraging its passengers and the broader user base of Bahrain Airport to extend their stay by one or two nights in Bahrain. This will be facilitated through collaborative packages, in close partnership with local hotels.
The third phase, according to Dr. Goh, revolves around Gulf Air Group positioning Bahrain as a prominent inclusion in the roster of several key tourist cities across the region. This initiative seeks to make Bahrain an integral component of the travel itinerary for tourists who intend to explore multiple countries and cities within the region during their holidays. He further clarified that this phase is set to commence in the first quarter of 2024.
A presentation was delivered by Mrs. Maryam Toorani, the Director of Marketing and Promotions at the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. The presentation encompassed a range of forthcoming events orchestrated by the Authority, with a spotlight on the upcoming December events. These include the second edition of Bahrain Holidays and the anticipated Dana Amphitheater concerts, among other engaging initiatives. Mrs. Toorani extended an invitation to all attendees to actively partake in these upcoming events.
Furthermore, Mrs. Maryam Toorani, Director of Marketing and Promotion at the BTEA, presented during the meeting the prominent new tourism and entertainment events for the current year in several regions across the Kingdom and what opportunities are available to all tourism specialists in the sector in order to benefit from them by working with several partners that can come up with attractive tourism packages for the region, while providing seasonal vacation packages in coordination with the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) and the Gulf Air Group.
