Tag Archives: Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has announced hosting four major weddings, with more than 2,000 guests arriving via Gulf Air. Dr Ali Hassan Follad, Adviser to the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, said, “We are pleased to be hosting four major Indian weddings in the upcoming months which will contribute USD$5 million to the Kingdom’s GDP and further promote Bahrain as a prime wedding destination. The weddings will be held between November 2018 and February 2019. The BTEA aims to provide the needed support to seamlessly host weddings in Bahrain by providing turn-key solutions, including organising logistics, venue selection, in addition to liaising with suppliers and industry professionals such as Gulf Air.” Bahrain boasts a number of four- and five-star hotels with a dedicated service sector that is able to offer all services from food and beverages, entertainment and unique wedding concepts.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) announced its cooperation with the World Federation of Tourist Guides Associations (WTFGA) to host a training programme for ‘tourism guides’ organised in collaboration with the World Tourism Organisation (WTO). The six week programme, held across two phases, will be entitled ‘tour guiding principles’. The preparatory course will provide the necessary training and practical guidance skills for about 100 participants. The course also targets those who wish to improve their practical skills. Themed on “Train the Trainer,” the second phase of the programme will target 12 participants. It will focus on training the mentors to become trainers or trainers who wish to enhance their training skills and gain accreditation from the World Tourism Organisation. The training course aims to develop common standards for capacity building and guidelines, in addition to enhancing the experience of tourists by facilitating access to cultural and historical sites, develop specific tourism products and services, and prolong the stay of visitors in the Kingdom. “The Authority has always sought to develop its human capital and sharpen their skills, which stems from its belief in their vital role in the progress and development of the tourism sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Providing services to visitors and meeting their needs is important to enhance their tourism experience,” said Hesham Al Saken, Director of Facilities and Tourism Services, BTEA.

H.E. Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), presented tourism insights for 2018 at the first Special Interest Group (SIG) organised by Bahrain British Business Forum (BBBF) in collaboration with the BTEA at Westin Bahrain City Centre. Al Khalifa said, “The BTEA is committed to supporting initiatives aimed at boosting investments in Bahrain’s tourism sector. We therefore encourage this initiative, which is in line with the BTEA’s long-term strategy to make the Kingdom a leading regional centre offering a diverse variety of tourism facilities.” The event was attended by leading business men and women in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry and forum members who had the opportunity to learn, in detail, about the industry’s highlights for the coming year. The BBBF is a leading network of businessmen and women in Bahrain. The forum has nine Special Interest Groups covering oil, gas and energy; hospitality leisure and tourism; construction; banking and financial services; ICT; legal; organisational effectiveness; young professionals and women in business. The SIGs offer members and guests a valuable medium for exchanging industry specific ideas.

More than 21,000 people visited the ‘Festival City’ located at Bahrain Bay and one of the main events held during the fourth edition of the Bahrain Festival ‘Shop Bahrain’. The Festival City was launched last week by H.E. Zayed Bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, in the presence of H.E. Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA). ‘Shop Bahrain’ aims to offer a fun-filled schedule of entertaining activities and a chance to win valuable prizes. The 30-day celebration will run until February 10, 2018. “We are delighted to witness the success of Shop Bahrain during the first few days of its launch and we look forward to welcoming more visitors to attend events held throughout the Kingdom. The Festival City, a key event held during Shop Bahrain, aims to create a fun-filled environment for the entire family to enjoy,” said Shaikh Khaled. “The Festival City is also in line with BTEA’s strategy which aims to further develop the tourism industry in line with Economic Vision 2030,” he said. The Festival City includes a number of family-oriented activities, live performances, carnival games, valuable prizes, outdoor market, delicious food and live performances.

‘Shop Bahrain’, one of the largest shopping festivals in the Kingdom of Bahrain, is set to be held from January 11 to February 10. The festival will create an exciting range of in-mall activities. More than 80,000 prizes in raffle draws held during the 30-day event include cars, travel tickets and much more. The event, organised by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) in cooperation with partners from the public and private sectors such as Tamkeen, YK Al Moayyed, VIVA Bahrain and Gulf Air. “We are delighted to announce the calendar of events for the fourth edition of the Bahrain Shopping Festival. Shop Bahrain aims to further drive the growth of three main sectors- tourism, retail and culinary by providing events and activities suitable for the entire family,” said Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, Chief Executive, BTEA. “Shop Bahrain aims to attract visitors from Bahrain and abroad by hosting a wide range of exciting family-oriented events throughout the duration of the festival. We also ensured to host events that suits the interest of all age-groups,” he added. The organisers of ‘Shop Bahrain’ also held a GCC roadshow in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to promote the festival and increase the number of tourists coming to Bahrain.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) recently announced the arrival of the first two cruise ships into the Kingdom, where more than 5,600 visitors were aboard the MSC and AIDA cruise lines. Additionally, a tour around the Kingdom was also organised where visitors had the chance to visit some of Bahrain’s tourist attractions. “We are happy to welcome the first two cruise ships for 2018 and are committed to providing all the facilities necessary to ensure their safe arrival into the Kingdom. We look forward to receiving more cruise ships over the next few months. This comes as part of the BTEA’s focus to revitalise the tourism sector for growth of the national economy,” said H.E. Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer, BTEA. “During the current cruise season which runs between November and May, Bahrain is expected to receive 33 cruise vessel calls and almost 80,000 visitors from prestigious cruise lines including the world-renowned Crystal Cruises,” he added. Hosting cruise ships comes as part of the BTEA’s long-term strategy to further develop the Kingdom’s tourism sector under the slogan of ‘Ours.Yours.’, which contributes towards the Kingdom’s 2030 Economic Vision.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) hosted Saudi wedding planning agencies from Jeddah and Riyadh from the October 21-23. Seven agencies were selected to attend the forum held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC) on October 23, where they met 30 various companies from the Kingdom of Bahrain to discuss future opportunities in the sector. The companies included major hotels, wedding planning agencies, travel logistics companies and banquet halls. “We are delighted to host the largest Saudi Arabian wedding planning agencies to promote the wide range of wedding services and amenities available in the Kingdom. The BTEA strives to host such events that aim to showcase the Kingdom’s offerings as a wedding destination as well as the international luxury hotel chains and boutique offerings,” said Dr. Ali Hassan Follad, Advisor to the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority.

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) and Bahrain Information and eGovernment Authority  are coming together for a tourism survey aimed at further integrating cooperation between the two authorities to enhance the statistical tourism database in the Bahrain. It will also measure the actual level of contribution the tourism sector is making in the national economy in accordance with international recommendations. Several business are expected to benefit from the survey as it will provide inclusive data to help decision makers and the hospitality sector to understand the needs and desires of tourists and visitors. Furthermore, it will be a reference source for these sectors to base strategies aimed at fostering local tourism throughout the year. The CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa, recently met with the Bahrain Information and eGovernment Authority CEO, Mohammed Ali Al Qaed to discuss the survey. Commenting on the survey, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa said, “We are pleased to work with the Bahrain Information and eGovernment Authority to obtain a more detailed view of the tourism sector in the country, especially tourism activities conducted by residents as it contributes to the overall development of the economy.” The Bahrain Information and eGovernment Authority also praised BTEA’s efforts and cooperation in this field: “We aim through this project to provide a manual for BTEA as it is considered a significant asset to assist implementing the Kingdom’s tourism development strategy. It also aims to put a structure in place that covers the different aspects of the tourism activity. We will ensure during the implementation phase of the project to follow the …

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has launched its new wedding identity “Island Wedding”. The new identity aims to promote the Kingdom of Bahrain as a wedding destination making the Kingdom, the first country in the Gulf region, to launch a dedicated platform focused on showcasing its offerings to the international community. Commenting on the launch, BTEA Advisor, Dr. Ali Follad: “The launch of the identity “Island Wedding” comes in line with the authority’s effort in promoting the Kingdom as a wedding destination aimed at attracting couples to host their wedding in the Kingdom. We have a robust hospitality sector that is appealing to many couples looking for a destination wedding.” The identity was designed carefully by a group of international experts from the wedding sector in order to showcase the Kingdom’s main offering as a wedding destination. The main aim is to offer newlyweds a variety of options in terms of hosting unforgettable celebrations and spending their honeymoon at the best hotels and resorts in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The logo was inspired by an engagement ring and the lines on the diamond portrayed in the logo represent the services and products offered by the Kingdom. A dedicated website along with social media channels was also launched. The BTEA is taking part in Jewelry Arabic and their features 14 participants representing various five-star hotels and wedding planners in order to deliver exceptional and integrated experience for couples looking to host a wedding in Bahrain. Some of the participating wedding planners include Lala Bella, IQ Art, Jandal Group, and Leaves. As for the participating hotels are ART Rotana, Amwaj Islands, Gulf Hotel, Crown Plaza, Sofitel Bahrain, Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, Al …

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) aims to showcase the Kingdom’s rich link to the sea tying it to several Bahraini sea-related traditions and cultural activities. Last week they witnessed more than 4,000 people attended the ‘Sea Festival’ held at Bahrain Bay as part of ‘Manama Capital of Gulf Tourism’ calendar of events.  The Sea Festival, running until Saturday 29th October, has attracted scores of residents and visitors of all ages who enjoyed a fun-filled family experience through the exciting sea-related activities like the jet ski and the modern virtual reality games.  The festival includes a series of activities including a multimedia photo gallery and video display that demonstrates the history of pearl diving in addition to several workshops that showcases the sea-related handicrafts which includes the making of fishing and diving equipment. As it also features a Dhow and Boat display that is lit-up with the use of decorative lighting.