Bahrain continues targeting the tourism sector as its main driver for growth and diversification. Indeed, as the only island nation in the Middle East and home to large-scale event such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix event, the nation is perfectly positioned to attain these goals.
Officials in the country are constantly looking for newer ways to diversify both source markets and offerings, and have even implemented a series of measures and projects aimed at achieving these objectives. Among the most common ones include targeted marketing campaigns, the development of luxury resorts and partnerships with entities such as Gulf Aid.
These efforts have progressed even despite the global economic slowdown which saw tourism arrivals abruptly cease in markets worldwide. Here is what you need to know regarding the current state of Bahrain tourism.
Structure and Oversight
There are a number of government entities that partake in Bahrain tourism, namely the Ministry of Tourism, which oversees the sector. This ministry leads tourism development projects, and formulates policy and legislation to facilitate growth. The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) was created in 2015 to support the ministry’s efforts to develop the sector.
The BTEA organized and attracts conventions and trade exhibitions; maintains conferences and exhibition centers directly, or through specialized companies established with BTEA involvement. Also, the BTEA undertakes the responsibility of fostering new source markets, managing tourism promotion, and developing the institutional and legislative framework to support the sector’s growth.
Marketing
Although ‘Ours. Yours. Bahrain’ has been the country’s long-standing tourism slogan, the BTEA has implement several promotion and marketing strategies in the last couple of years aimed at targeting specific audiences. One such campaign was the ‘Ihnee Fee Al-Bahrain (Here in Bahrain) and the #WeWillMeet campaigns.These campaigns were designed to maintain engagement with tourists and increase the number of tourist activities in the country.
There is more to the scope of Bahrain Tourism than what is included in this quick guide. No wonder you should take it upon yourself to do a bit of research before touring this part of the world.
