MP seeks detailed information on residential tourism violations

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

MP Hassan BuKhammas told Parliament yesterday that the Tourism Ministry had not provided the detailed information he sought about tourism venues operating in residential areas in Juffair and Adliya.

He warned that the Council could move to tougher scrutiny if the requested data is not supplied.

“After reviewing the response provided and listening to the general justifications it contained, I state before this Council that the ministry has not provided an adequate answer and has not assumed responsibility for the situation in Juffair and Adliya,” BuKhammas said.

Comfort

He added that “troubling tourism establishments are still operating within residential neighbourhoods”, affecting residents’ comfort and community considerations.

Tourism Minister, Her Excellency Fatima Al Sairafi, said the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) had increased inspection visits in the Fourth Constituency this year, recording about 779 visits to date, up from 300 in 2024.

She said recorded tourism violations had also risen, to about 103 in 2025 compared with about 40 last year.

The minister said inspections were being carried out with other state bodies, rather than by the authority alone.

“Today, the Authority does not carry out inspections on its own; joint inspection visits are also conducted with the relevant government agencies,” she said.

Licences

H.E. Al Sairafi also said tourism activity licences and tourism establishment licences were no longer issued for areas classed as residential, with applications routed through the commercial licensing system and the Sijilat platform for review by the authority and other government bodies under the relevant laws and regulatory decisions.

“I would like to confirm that today we do not grant licences to operate a tourism activity or licences for tourism establishments in areas classified as residential,” she said.

BuKhammas said the Council had asked for detailed data, the names of the establishments involved, and specific steps taken, but that the response did not include the figures needed for effective parliamentary oversight.

Activities

The lawmaker said the continuation of the same activities in the same locations, alongside an admission of dozens of violations, required a review of licensing and inspection policy.

He said talk of future plans and studies did not address ongoing concerns, and told the Council that continued lack of a root solution, and failure to provide the requested data, would lead Parliament to take oversight steps in line with its constitutional powers.