Tag Archives: Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority

Wego and Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BETA) launch a campaign to drive tourism to the country. Bahrain saw signs of recovery in the second half of 2021, which was impacted by the opening of King Fahad causeway. Wego and BTEA are working closely to attract more travelers to the country in line with the Government’s strategy for 2026 which aims to bring over 14.1 million tourists. The campaign will shed light on the things to do in the country for all types of travelers including solos, couples, and families as well as the key destinations to explore. It will be promoted on all Wego’s marketing channels and aims to convert searches to bookings. Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, MENA and India, Wego, commented: “We continue to partner with tourism boards to promote tourism recovery and attract more travelers to the destinations in the new norm in 2022. We’re proud to collaborate with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. This partnership further strengthens our commitment to our customers to offer them the best destinations to visit.” Dr. Nasser Qaedi, the CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, said: “The launch of our partnership with Wego reinstates our drive to increase international footfall into the Kingdom and it comes at the right time as the island is filled with fantastic events and activities for tourists to enjoy.”  

H.E. Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and Chairman of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) headed the third periodic meeting of the Board of Directors of BTEA for 2019 at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC). Commenting on the occasion, H.E. Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani said, “The BTEA has focused on the development of new projects in order to contribute to enhancing Kingdom’s position as a leading tourism destination and a leader in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (M!CE) sector compared to other countries in the region.” During the meeting, the Board reviewed and discussed several topics on the agenda which included the budget for the year 2020. In addition, the Board were briefed on the latest developments regarding projects related to the tourism strategy, which seeks to attract an increased number of tourists as well as implement a set of projects that will contribute to strengthening the position of Kingdom. By launching the Hospitality and Culinary Institute, the BTEA also aims to develop the tourism sector in order to elevate the industry by training the Bahraini workforce and creating a generation that can further boost this sector and represent the Kingdom. The Board also discussed the latest special developments that aim to attract more foreign tourists through the representative offices of the BTEA, alongside the annual calendar of events and activities organised by BTEA, as well as the tourism indicators for the Kingdom of Bahrain in the third quarter of the year. Towards the end of the meeting, the Board expressed their gratitude to the management and employees of BTEA for their sincere efforts in achieving the BTEA’s plans …

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) roadshow was held from December 1-7, 2019 at Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The delegation was headed by various BTEA officials and includes representatives from the Gulf Air, alongside a number of hotels including Al Bandar Hotel & Resort, Sofitel Zallaq Bahrain Thalassa Sea & Spa, Gulf Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, Rotana Hotels and Novotel Al Dana Resort. The delegation also included representatives from five tourism agencies and destination management companies including Best of Bahrain, Visit Bahrain, Go Bahrain, Mathias Tours and Gosaibi Travels. The roadshow aims to promote Bahrain as a tourist destination to the Russian market and will also portray the Kingdom as an ideal destination for weddings. During the roadshow, the delegation will be meeting with wedding planners, representatives from travel agencies and the media. On this occasion, Dr. Ali Follad, Acting Director of Marketing and Tourism Promotion Directorate at BTEA, commented, “We are working closely with our representative office in Russia to highlight the Kingdom’s position as an attractive location with distinct offerings. During this roadshow, we will be promoting the Kingdom of Bahrain as the ideal destination for tourism by showcasing its unique elements to visitors. We will also be promoting the Kingdom as an ideal destination for hosting weddings and celebrations due to its promising infrastructure and the wide range of wedding services and amenities available. Through this roadshow, we aim to attract investment and increase the number of visitors coming to the Kingdom, further developing the tourism sector and increasing its contribution to the national economy.” Hosting the roadshow comes in line with the BTEA’s strategic outreach programme to promote the tourism brand ‘Ours Yours’ aimed …

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) participated in the World Travel Market (WTM). Bahrain’s delegation was headed by the H.E. Zayed bin Rashid Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Nader Al Moayyed, Chief Executive Officer of BTEA and included representatives from BTEA, the Bahrain Economic Development Board, the national carrier Gulf Air, Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), as well as a number of leading hotels and travel agents. During this global event, BTEA showcased the Kingdom’s tourism potential as well as the upcoming Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix race, which has been attracting thousands of racing fans from around the world during the past 15 years. BTEA’s participation comes in line with its long term strategy to further develop the Kingdom’s tourism sector and strengthen its position on regional and international levels under the slogan of ‘Ours. Yours.’, which contributes towards the Kingdom’s economy and the 2030 Economic Vision. With the aim of making Bahrain a leading family and business tourism destination, the BTEA has developed an integrated schedule of events in order to attract tourists from around the world to the Kingdom of Bahrain. H.E. Zayed bin Rashid Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, said “We have always been keen to participate in various regional and international exhibitions and events, through which we seek to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain to attract foreign investments and increase tourism numbers. Our strategy at BTEA focuses on strengthening the Kingdom’s tourism sector in order for it to become one of the main contributors to the economy.”

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has announced the dates of the fourth edition of the annual Sea Festival, which will be held at Marassi Beach for a period of 10 days from November 7-16. First launched in 2016, the Sea Festival celebrates the Kingdom’s historical ties to the sea, seeking to educate modern-day visitors and tourists on the Kingdom’s deeply-rooted past and revive the Kingdom’s sea legacy by showcasing several sea-related traditions and activities. BTEA continues its efforts to showcase the Kingdom of Bahrain as the ideal tourism destination for families which offers a unique experience to visitors of all ages. This year’s edition of the Sea Festival will include a number of attractions such as water sports activities, boat rides, traditional music performances, handicrafts, and pearl merchants. There will also be plenty of entertainment during the Festival with an amazing on-stage Sea World Performance (Cirque De La Mer) alongside a museum, outdoor cinema and an interactive play area for kids. The Sea Festival aligns with the BTEA’s overall strategy which aims at developing and strengthening the tourism sector under the slogan ‘Ours. Yours’, which contribute towards the Kingdom’s economy and 2030 Economic Vision.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) organised a familiarisation trip for a delegation of nine women from renowned Saudi travel agencies and tour operators. Hosting the trip comes in line with BTEA’s efforts to showcase the Kingdom’s tourism facilities and attractions, as well as introduce visitors to its rich history with an aim to further develop the tourism sector and increase its contribution to the national economy. The familiarisation trip, held from October 3-5, 2019, was organised in collaboration with BTEA’s representative office in KSA. During the trip, the delegation met with local representatives from the tourism industry and were taken on several sightseeing tours in Bahrain. “KSA is considered one of the largest tourism markets across the region and visitors from KSA comprise a huge portion of tourists in Bahrain, holding 88 per cent of the market share. Since the start of this year, BTEA’s collaboration with Saudi travel agencies through its KSA representative office has resulted in attracting approximately 31,500 visitors in Q1 of 2019, a growth of 31 per cent, and BHD 11.9 million in total spending. In the first half of 2019, the total number of Saudi visitors amounted to 5.3 million, including business and project owners which contributes to supporting the local GDP,” said Dr. Ali Follad, Tourism Advisor at BTEA. Organising the familiarisation trip comes in line with the BTEA’s strategy to promote and develop the country’s tourism sector under the slogan of ‘Ours.Yours.’, which contributes towards Bahrain’s economy and the 2030 Economic Vision.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) continues to adopt initiatives with an aim to attract more tourists to the Kingdom of Bahrain and increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy. In light of this, BTEA welcomed passengers who arrived on the first charter flight of the new season from Moscow on October 7, 2019. The first flight commissioned by Coral Travel within the charter programme from Moscow to Bahrain took place in October 2018 with two flights scheduled per week. This will be increased to three weekly flights until May 2020, carrying 220 passengers that will be staying in 30 different hotels across Bahrain. “The BTEA has strengthened its presence, bilaterial relations and partnerships with travel and tourism organisations, tour operators, travel agents and airlines across the world through its representative offices located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), India, France, Germany, Russia, Kuwait and the United Kingdom. We will continue to work closely with all our representative offices to bring in tourist groups from around the world, further developing the tourism sector and increasing the contribution of non-oil based sectors of the national economy,” said Dr. Ali Follad, Tourism Advisor at BTEA. Receiving charter flights comes as part of the BTEA’s long term strategy to bring in large tourist groups, further developing the Kingdom’s tourism sector on a regional and international level under the slogan of ‘Ours.Yours.’, which contributes towards the Kingdom’s economy and the 2030 Economic Vision.

IHG announced the signing of Staybridge Suites Manama Al Seef, marking the debut of the brand in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Expected to open in January 2020, the 128-room extended stay hotel will operate under a management agreement with major developer, Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company S.P.C. The signing was held with the attendance of H.E. Sheikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) in the headquarters of the Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company S.P.C. Located in the heart of the capital, Staybridge Suites Manama Al Seef will benefit from proximity to the popular shopping and commercial destination, the Seef District. Guests can also enjoy home-like surroundings and amenities throughout the hotel with a feeling of community including a fully equipped kitchen, spacious suites, large workspaces, complimentary WiFi, a business centre and a fitness centre. Commenting on the signing, H.E. Sheikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, stated, “The development of Staybridge Suites comes in line with BTEA’s strategy which focuses on four pillars, ‘awareness, attraction, access, and accommodation’ in order to attract regional and international visitors, further increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy.” In a statement on the signing, Pascal Gauvin, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG, said, “The tourism industry in Bahrain is gaining momentum with an increase in leisure and business travellers, especially from the GCC countries, that is resulting in a rising demand for long stay accommodation.” Faisal Faqeeh, Chairman of Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company S.P.C., added, “The fantastic location combined with the unique offering of Staybridge Suites Manama Al Seef, make it the ideal choice for travellers looking for a home …

As part of its strategy to further boost growth in the tourism and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MiCE) sectors of Bahrain, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) continues to participate in events and initiatives including global conferences, congresses and exhibitions that showcase infrastructure development with an aim to promote Bahrain as the tourism and MiCE destination of choice. The BTEA’s Director of Exhibitions and Conferences Marketing and Promotion, Fawzi Tulefat, represented the BTEA in one of UFI’s major annual events, UFI Middle East/Africa Conference 2019, which was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre on April 8 and 9,   2019 under the theme of ‘Embracing Change and Looking Forward to the Future’. Annually, the UFI Middle East and Africa Conference is attended by over 70 member and non-member trade fair exhibition organizers, exhibition centres, associations and service providers related to the exhibition industry. During the conference, Tulefat, a panelist on Venue / Organizers – Panel Discussion during the first day of the conference, actively discussed the new developments in Bahrain’s MiCE industry and highlighted the achievements of BTEA including updates on the Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Centre which is expected to be completed in early 2021.  The tourism attractions of Bahrain and the new Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Centre will take center stage from May 21 to 23, 2019 at the Bahrain Pavilion at the IMEX 2019, which will be held at Messe Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany.  The BTEA will be joined by seven co-exhibitors from the business tourism and hospitality industry in Bahrain. The IMEX 2019 is an annual global MiCE industry event bringing together over 14,500 participants including 3,500 exhibitors from over 160 countries from around …

The 5th edition of the Bahrain Shopping Festival – ‘Shop Bahrain’ – is taking place from January 1 to February 2, 2019. Celebrating the best of the Kingdom’s tourism and retail sectors, the event offers a unique shopping experience filled with many valuable prizes for shoppers. The 30-day festival has been organised by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) in cooperation with a number of strategic partners from the public and private sectors including Tamkeen, VIVA Bahrain and Gulf Air, as well as the AA Bin Hindi Group. During the launch, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, Chief Executive, BTEA, commented, “The Bahrain Shopping Festival reflects the keenness of the authority to host local events of global standards and attract visitors and tourists from all over the world by joining a wide range of entertainment events and the chance to win valuable prizes. “This edition of the festival aims to stimulate the national economy by focusing on retail and tourism sectors. The transactions recorded in the last edition reached a total of BD19 million and attracted more than 122,000 visitors from Bahrain and other countries. In this edition, we expect to attract more visitors and generate greater values through the valuable prizes and activities offered by the partners from both public and private sectors,” he added. Prize partners include Gravity, Awal Gas, Hawar Beach Hotel, Kitchen for Life Company, the Ice Cream Shop and Rahim Holdings. This year’s edition will feature more than 73,000 prizes including 11 cars, electronics from AA Bin Hindi Group, 5,000 airline tickets at special rates from Gulf Air, thousands of instant prizes from VIVA and much more. The loyalty system enables shoppers to enter …