Manama, Bahrain–Bahrain will support Arab tourism in order to enhance social, cultural and historical integration among Arab people, according to Fatima bin Jaafar Al Sairafi, Bahrain’s Minister of Tourism.
According to the minister, this would raise the contribution of the tourism sector to Arab countries’ national development.
In a statement to the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), marking the Arab Tourism Day, coinciding with the birthday of Moroccan traveller, Ibn Battuta, on February 25, Al Sairafi indicated that the ways to develop Arab tourism are always on the agenda of the Ministry of Tourism during its participation in regional and international gatherings.
Minister Al Sairafi highlighted the fields of enhancing joint Arab tourism action, including cooperation in tourism marketing, training tourism personnel, and attracting tourism investments to the region, in addition to keeping abreast of digital transformation, promoting Arab tourism destinations and consolidating innovation in the sector.
She highlighted the importance of this year’s Arab Tourism Day, which is “Towards Sustainable Environmental Tourism”, affirming the Tourism Ministry’s keenness to maintain the sustainability of the tourism sector in the kingdom, by preserving natural reserves, beaches, and local wildlife, as well as stepping up cooperation with the private sector in developing sustainable tourism projects.
Al Sairafi underlined the kingdom’s resolve to continue to strengthen its position as an ideal destination for sustainable tourism in light of the diversity of its tourism services and products, strategic geographical location, and distinguished status as a civilised model of tolerance and coexistence among religions and cultures.
The kingdom also boasts highly competitive capabilities in attracting international tourism, cultural, sporting and entertainment events, as well as outstanding organisational and hotel capabilities that have qualified it to be the capital of GCC, Arab and Asian tourism, in addition to its ability to generate quality job opportunities in the tourism sector, she added.
She underscored the unwavering keenness of the Ministry of Tourism to continue highlighting the Kingdom’s position as a prominent tourism centre, which will contribute to revitalising the sector, and enhancing its role in economic diversification, as well as supporting sustainable development, in light of Bahrain’s 2022-2026 Tourism Strategy.
She asserted that the designation of Manama as the Capital of GCC Tourism for 2024 confirms its important role in creating an integrated tourism system at the regional level.