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Gulf Daily News reported that Bahrain is participating in Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai with a 420-square-metre pavilion that assembles 28 public and private sector organisations to promote the kingdom’s tourism assets. The display includes the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, Gulf Air, Exhibition World Bahrain, luxury hotels, resorts and destination management companies, all presenting major ongoing projects and initiatives. Bilateral meetings with representatives from international markets are taking place to identify prospects for investment, cooperation agreements and sustainable tourism development.
Tourism Minister Fatima Al Sairafi used the gathering to stress the value of tighter government and private-sector collaboration in forging a more resilient and competitive industry. She joined a panel discussion under the theme Building a Resilient Tourism Industry Through Collaboration that also featured UAE Economy and Tourism Minister Abdulla Al Marri and UN Tourism Secretary General Shaikha Al Nuwais. Al Sairafi told participants that sustained spending on infrastructure, innovation and human capital development would be vital to maintaining momentum while joint promotion could bolster the GCC’s appeal on the global stage.
The kingdom’s engagement at the Dubai event supports implementation of its Tourism Strategy 2022-2026, which aims to draw greater numbers of visitors and investors while reinforcing Bahrain’s position regionally and internationally. The minister informed parliament in February that the sector now accounts for 7 percent of national GDP, citing an 11 percent rise in visitor numbers during 2025 that placed Bahrain third in the Middle East according to the World Tourism Index. These gains have been accompanied by the addition of 23 new four- and five-star hotels since the strategy began, signalling strong investor confidence.
Al Sairafi has emphasised partnerships with more than 100 international travel agents targeting source markets that now extend beyond the GCC to include China, the United Kingdom, India and Germany. The minister has consistently presented Bahrain as both an independent destination and a contributor to the shared vision of the Gulf as a single tourism offering. Such positioning aligns with broader efforts to diversify the economy and expand non-oil contributions through targeted infrastructure upgrades and event hosting.
Bahrain is scheduled to host the third International Tourism Investment Forum in October, an event that will provide another platform to present the kingdom’s regulatory reforms, modern facilities and incentives for foreign capital. TradeArabia reported in March that the forum preparations include coordination with UN Tourism to strengthen the sector’s international profile and private-sector involvement. The upcoming gathering builds on outcomes from earlier investment events that generated substantial commitments across tourism and related priority areas.
Regional cooperation remains a recurring theme at Arabian Travel Market 2026, where multiple GCC pavilions are operating concurrently to promote integrated travel experiences. The recent designation of Oman’s Jabal Akhdar as GCC Tourism Capital for 2027 further illustrates collective interest in spotlighting distinctive attractions across the bloc. Bahrain’s delegation has held separate talks with UAE officials on the sidelines to explore deeper bilateral ties in tourism development and marketing.
