Tag Archives: familiarisation trip

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.

In line with its efforts to further strengthen the Kingdom’s position as an ideal destination for weddings and celebrations, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) organised a familiarisation trip for 10 Indian wedding planning agencies, from September 21-24. The delegation included companies and agencies from several Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat and Jaipur, targeting locations with High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) and distinguished families. On September 22 and 23, BTEA arranged for meetings between Indian wedding planners and a number of Bahraini vendors and organisations, which included leading 5 and 4-star hotels, Bahraini wedding planners and organisers, travel and tourism service providers, destination management companies and other accommodation venues. A representative from BTEA’s office in India also attended the meetings along with the delegation. In addition, a tour of the Kingdom was also organised for the Indian delegation which featured a visit to some of Bahrain’s tourist attractions such as Go Karting, the Hindu Temple in Manama and Bahrain International Circuit. “Through organising regular meetings with Indian wedding planners and agencies, we aim to increase the number of wedding ceremonies being held in the Kingdom, further positioning Bahrain as an ideal destination for weddings and celebrations,” said Dr. Ali Follad, Tourism Advisor at BTEA.