Interview: H.E. Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism to the Kingdom of Bahrain
Bahrain provides a wealth of tourism opportunities. What is your expected footfall for the 2023 tourism season? Which destinations of Bahrain are the most attractive for tourists?
Response: Bahrain as a destination has been increasingly growing in popularity among tourists in recent years. With the current growth seen in inbound tourism, we are very positive that the footfall for 2023 will be very promising.
It is the pearl of the Middle East and is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after leisure destinations in the region. Each region has something alluring to different types of travelers. The destination is an idyllic location for millennial travelers, solo/women travelers, senior citizens, honeymooners, couples, and families.
With its year-round sunshine, stunning beaches, rich cultural heritage, and thriving culinary scene, the island offers an unforgettable experience for travelers seeking a unique vacation experience.
Response: The Kingdom of Bahrain had the official inauguration of the Exhibition World Bahrain in November 2022. The majestic exhibition center which covers 95,000 square meters of the area was inaugurated on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, and Prime Minister.
Exhibition World Bahrain is an innovative and adaptable space, with three separate entrances, designed to cater for multiple concurrent events at the same time, or for hosting one large event utilizing the entire venue. The center’s large capacity allows it to host various events and exhibitions simultaneously, making it an appealing place for local, regional, and international exhibitions. Exhibition World Bahrain boasts 10 exhibition halls, fully equipped with a set of meeting rooms and utilities for event organizers, and an extraordinary convention center featuring a magnificent Grand Hall, VIP majlises, and more.
This establishment is a milestone for economic development and will play a crucial role in positioning Bahrain as a major global destination for regional and global conventions.
Exhibition World Bahrain had an eventful calendar of events since its opening. In November and December of 2022 alone, the exhibition center had more than 240,000 visitors across 5 events: Jewellery Arabia, Scent Arabia, and Cityscape Bahrain, which all took place the very next day following the official inauguration, followed by the Arab International Cyber Security Summit and the Autumn Fair, Bahrain’s biggest consumer targeted shopping event. Jewellery Arabia and Autumn Fair was held at a much bigger scale than their previous editions, and both Scent Arabia and Cityscape Bahrain launched their first editions at Exhibition World Bahrain. All five events were a success in terms of the number of exhibitors, visitors, and sales revenue.
In addition, Exhibition World Bahrain hosted the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly for the first time in Bahrain, the Arab International Cybersecurity Conference and Exhibition, and the Geosciences Show (MEOS and GEO 2023), and the first time in the Kingdom and the region, two world-class performances were the opening events for the magnificent Grand Hall, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty Ballet Shows, and the Bahrain International Garden Show.
Exhibition World Bahrain will continue to host and attract future international exhibitions and events to strengthen the it’s position as a regional pioneer in the MICE industry.
The Kingdom has recently opened its largest-ever exhibition and convention center, the Exhibition World Bahrain. What are your plans for the 2023 event calendar, and what do you plan to host in this newly inaugurated venue?
Which markets are you focusing on after the successful inauguration of this state-of-the-art meeting venue?
Response: Bahrain has always been a trade and business hub, we’ve been very successful in hosting international events for many years, and we’ve outgrown the existing venue. The level of interest in Bahrain as a destination has increased, so it was only natural to invest in a much larger, much more sophisticated venue that is all-encompassing and offers more than just exhibition space. This is the right time for Bahrain to position itself as the newest MICE destination with this state-of-the-art venue that is very flexible and multipurpose. Exhibition World Bahrain is creating a fantastic environment for its clients, built on a multi-layer experience that goes far-beyond venue management.
It’s all a part of the bigger picture for the Kingdom, to fulfill the country’s Vision 2030 and efforts to diversify away from the oil industry. The establishment of Exhibition World Bahrain is a key part of Bahrain’s Tourism Strategy 2022-2026, which focuses on opening Bahrain to new markets such as Europe: UK, Germany, France, and Italy, America, Asia: Thailand and India, as well as The Gulf: KSA, UAE, and Oman, increasing the prospects of international tourism, and increasing the sector’s contribution to the GDP. Exhibition World Bahrain will also be participating at IMEX Frankfurt, EXPO MENA in Riyadh, and IMEX America – Las Vegas.
Where do you wish to see Bahrain as a global destination in the next five years?
Response: Bahrain is set to become a global destination in the next five years. The destination’s tourism sector exceeded the targets last year set under its 2022-26 tourism strategy. Tourism revenues topped BD1.5 billion ($3.98 billion) in 2022, an increase of 50% compared to the target figure for the same year, which stood at BD1 billion.
According to the 2022 statistics, the number of visitors arriving for tourism purposes reached 9.9 million, up by 19% over the target number of 8.3 million visitors.
Inbound tourism in Bahrain has recovered during the year 2022 by 90% compared to pre-pandemic levels, outperforming the international recovery rate, which was estimated by the World Tourism Organization at a rate of 65%.
According to the country’s new 2022-2026 tourism strategy, Bahrain is expected to attract over 14 million tourists by 2026. The country is also committed to sustainable tourism practices, ensuring that our tourism industry benefits the local community as well as the environment.
As per what is planned in the tourism strategy 2022–2026, BTEA is undertaking several upcoming projects, where we mainly aim to focus on how we are positioning Bahrain as an Island destination and developing different waterfronts in Bahrain. Some of these projects include the Galali coast waterfront, Bahrain Bay beach, Alghous waterfront, Saada projects, and Mantis Hotel and Resort in the Hawar Islands. Moreover, new hotels and resorts are in the pipeline that will certainly double the tourist traffic.
The Bahrain Grand Prix is one of the most successful investments in the Gulf and the world, being the world’s most-watched annual sports series and generating more than $2.5 billion in direct revenue since hosting the Formula One race till 2022. Hotels often run at 100% occupancy during Grand Prix week.
BTEA has been seeking to benefit from F1 week by organizing entertaining events such as bringing the world-renowned Imperial Russian Ballet (IRB) to the Grand Hall in Exhibition World Bahrain, Sakhir, stressing BTEA’s commitment to continue to attract the best entertainment and artistic shows from around the world to work towards achieving tourism strategic objectives.