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BTEA to encourage Bahrainis join hospitality sector

ManamaMore initiatives will soon be introduced to help Bahrainis take up jobs in the hospitality industry, a Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority(BTEA) official said during a forum yesterday. 

BTEA hopes to encourage Barhainis to take up jobs in the hospitality sector by introducing training and awareness programmes, said Jesus Florido Banqueri, Advisor and Project Manager BTEA. He said that expatriates make up most of the hospitality sector but BTEA is determined to improve Bahrainization of the industry.

“We want to transform the way hospitality careers are seen by Bahraini youth. We will invest in training Bahrainis in the hospitality sector. We will be bringing well known hospitality schools to Bahrain and so that they can train Bahrainis. We have already had many meetings with schools in Europe and Australia about bringing them here, “ Banqueri said.

He was speaking at the Bahrain Restaurant & Hospitality Forum which opened yesterday. The two-day forum, organised by Culinaire & Beyond brings together restaurateurs, hoteliers and decision makers in the hospitality industry. Industry experts discussed the latest trends and challenges the industry faces. 

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Culinaire and Beyond CEO Leena Al Mannai said that the forum could become an annual event. 

‘’I am truly humbled by the support and feedback I have received about the vision of BRHF 2017 and am delighted to see how many people this two day forum has engaged. It gives me great pleasure to have sowed the seeds of a platform that will address key issues pertaining to the restaurant and hospitality industries, both of which are poised to grow in Bahrain and within the Middle-eastern region. Our key partners from the government, corporate and private sectors have proven that collaboration is the way to go forward and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their relentless support and appreciation,’’ she said.

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In his speech, Director of Tourism Marketing and Promotions at BTEA Yussef Al-Khan said that Bahrain has ambitious goals in terms improving tourism to Bahrain. 

“In 2015 we had 11.6 visitors to Bahrain and by 2016 it increased by 6 per cent to 12.3 million, that is a big jump for a small country like Bahrain. We are not going to stop there we are trying to reach 15.2m by 2018. We have ambitious goals for 2018 which is part of a three year plan for us,” he noted.