Saudi reforms ‘boost for Bahrain tourism’

SOCIAL reforms taking place in neighbouring Saudi Arabia have been slated as a “huge opportunity” for Bahrain’s tourism sector, according to a government minister.

Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Alzayani said the ongoing reforms, such as allowing women to drive, would actually help Bahrain’s tourism in the short- and long-run.

He was speaking yesterday at a Press conference held at ART Rotana in Amwaj Islands along with UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili and Argentinian Tourism Minister Gustavo Santos.

It was part of the 109th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, being hosted in Manama.

Competition

“I think competition in the region is a motivator as we have seen some countries who started their tourism initiative before us,” said Mr Alzayani.

“We have seen how tourism influx transformed their cities and economies, whether in terms of investment or global exposure.

“We (Gulf countries) all have common attractions yet all of us have our unique features.

“Bahrain has over 4,000 years of history with a proud heritage that distinguishes us as a modern state that offers visitors a chance to see our tolerance, diversity and a cosmopolitan society.”

He said the country’s tourism sector would only benefit from ongoing social programmes in Gulf countries.

He said that according to Saudi statistics the number one visited country in the world (outbound tourism) for their nationals was Bahrain.

“People often ask me if the reform in Saudi Arabia will be a threat to Bahrain, but I tell them not at all (because it is) actually an opportunity for Bahrain,” he said.

“We can now tap into the 36 million population (in Saudi) rather than being previously restricted to certain cities.

“Let’s take the example of Saudi women being allowed to drive, which means we can now tap into a huge female market to promote Bahrain.

“They can come to Bahrain to shop, dine, spend a day at the spa or watch a movie.

“Our proximity to Saudi Arabia and the ongoing reforms are a huge opportunity for us.”

He also said that Bahrain was keen to work with the UNWTO on future partnerships to promote tourism globally.

“Our ambition is to make Bahrain a global destination – not only for the Gulf, but for the world,” he added.

Strategy

Bahrain initiated a major tourism strategy in 2015, which according to Mr Alzayani, has managed to double its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 3.5 per cent to 7pc.

Latest tourism indicators from January until September showed total international arrivals (excluding locals) at 10.3 million, which was a six per cent growth compared with the same period last year.

Inbound tourism registered in the first eight months of the year was 9.1m tourists, that excluded Bahrain residents and other arrivals for non-tourism purposes – a 5.3pc increase compared with the same period last year.

Source: http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/428628

 

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