Bahrain Authority for Tourism and Exhibitions: Gulf States Capable of Attracting Tourists from Around the World

Sarah Al-Bouhaji, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, emphasized that Gulf tourism integration constitutes a fundamental pillar for enhancing the region’s competitiveness and ensuring sustainable sector growth, given the GCC states’ diverse tourism assets and advanced infrastructure, which position them to deliver a comprehensive tourism experience. Speaking to KUNA on Sunday, Al-Bouhaji stated that strengthening the GCC’s position as an attractive regional and international tourism destination contributes to increasing its capacity to draw more visitors, underscoring the importance of unifying efforts and developing joint initiatives to serve the tourism sector across GCC member states. She stressed the need to develop joint promotional campaigns and encourage the design of multi-destination tourism packages, in collaboration with airlines and tour operators, to facilitate visitor movement between GCC countries and reinforce the concept of the Gulf as an integrated tourism destination capable of attracting visitors from various global markets. She explained that Gulf tourism cooperation directly impacts the economies of GCC states by stimulating tourism activity, increasing spending, encouraging investment, creating jobs in the sector and related activities, and enhancing the region’s appeal to visitors seeking to explore multiple destinations in a single trip. She added that the Kingdom of Bahrain always takes pride in welcoming visitors from Kuwait, ensuring they feel at home from the moment of their arrival, noting that the continuous influx of Kuwaiti visitors reflects the deep affection and mutual trust between the two peoples, and motivates the Authority to continue developing tourism experiences that meet their aspirations. She pointed out that Bahrain’s summer season this year is witnessing greater momentum in terms of the diversity of events and integrated experiences offered to visitors, in partnership with various stakeholders, through a summer calendar rich in entertainment, cultural, sports, and family activities across the Kingdom, providing visitors with broader options and encouraging them to extend their stay and return for repeat visits.