BTEA holds Familiarization Meeting for the Arab Tourism Organization and Tour Guides in Bahrain

Following the announcement of Manama as the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2020, and in celebration of Arab Tourism Day on February 25,

which coincides with the birth of Ibn Battuta, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) organized an introductory session for the delegation of the Arab Tourism Organization (ATO) and the tour guides in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), Mr. Nader Al Moayyed, delivered an introductory speech during the event which is being held under the theme ‘Tourism and Jobs, A Better Future for All’ as part of the celebrations for Arab Tourism Day, and the selection of Manama as the “Capital of Arab Tourism for 2020”.

With the support received from the Government, the tourism sector in Bahrain has witnessed great development in its tourism infrastructure and an increase in the number of incoming tourists and visitors.

This comes in line with the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the combined efforts of the government under the directives of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, to aim to strengthen Bahrain’s position as a leading tourism hub on a regional level.

As a result of these cumulative efforts, the number of incoming visitors has increased by 14% during the years 2015-2019 and tourism revenues increased by 37%.

Tourism is one of the industries that are heavily reliant on human talent, which provide the highest quality of services with a personal touch to achieve a competitive advantage.

This is especially evident in comparison to other industries and sectors of the economy; which is a growing indicator of the socio-economic importance the tourism industry and its impact, as well as its capacity to accommodate and develop a large number of employees. In this manner, the tourism sector continuous to contribute towards decreasing unemployment rates by creating increased job opportunities, especially for the future workforce.

 According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), one out of ten jobs in the local economy is either directly or indirectly generated by the tourism sector.

During the event, the CEO of BTEA, Mr. Nader Al Moayyed also reiterated the importance of the development of the tourism sector as one of the Kingdom’s priorities in line with the Government Action Plan, as part of BTEA’s strategy which seeks to implement the National Strategy for the sector, which focuses on creating additional job opportunities for the youth.

Mr. Nader Al Moayyed also added that he considered tour guides to be the country’s best ambassadors given they play an integral role in creating an impactful visit with a genuine feel, while promoting the Kingdom’s rich history and best attractions, which work towards continually energizing the local tourism sector.

In light of this, the BTEA continuously ensures to provide the necessary level of support to tour guides in the Kingdom, in line with the National Strategy to build capacities of tour operators in Bahrain in collaboration with WTO.

Mr. Nader Al Moayyed also expressed his honour, to participate in celebrating Arab Tourism Day in Manama, the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2020, and extended his thanks to Dr. Bandar bin Fahad Al Fuhaid, the President of ATO, in addition to the ATO delegates for attending the celebration and for their continuous support and collaboration with BTEA.