Tourism major contributor to GDP: BTEA CEO

When it comes to enhancing national GDP, Bahrain’s tourism sector is one of the leading contributors, said BTEA CEO adding that 6.9 per cent of the Kingdom’s GDP comes from this sector. Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, the Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, further stressed that the sector plays a vital role in increasing employment rates and has great potential for further growth and development.

Participating in the 3rd UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture, the top official said that BTEA’s strategy focuses on developing the tourism sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Held under the theme ‘for the Benefit of All’, the conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey between the 3rd and 5th of December 2018.

During the conference, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa took part in a ministerial discussion which focused on strengthening collaboration between tourism and culture stakeholders. The session brought together Ministers of tourism and culture to share good practice examples on how policies can be aligned to accelerate the shift towards sustainable development, how countries around the world are supporting public-private partnerships and ways of strengthening tripartite collaboration between tourism, culture and community.

“His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has highlighted the importance of instilling national identity through the preservation of Bahraini Arabian horse breeds, the revival of the pearl industry and the restoration of historical sites in the Kingdom,” the CEO of BTEA told the conference participants. The Authority also plays an integral role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030,” he added.