Tourism and transit development take centre stage in Council session

TDT | Manama

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Tourism and aviation development took centre stage during the Nineteenth Ordinary Session of the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Sixth Legislative Term, as MPs called for accelerated measures to position Bahrain as a stronger regional transit and tourism hub.

MP Mamdouh Abbas Al Saleh highlighted the significance of recent aviation agreements, particularly the deal with AirAsia, describing it as a strategic shift that could expand Bahrain’s connectivity to more than 150 destinations.

He stressed that such agreements must translate into tangible economic benefits and job opportunities for Bahrainis, especially within airport operations and aviation services.

Growth

MP Hesham Ahmed Al Ashiri pointed to official figures indicating that tourism revenues reached BD1.2 billion in 2024, marking substantial growth compared with previous years.

However, he raised concerns about infrastructure bottlenecks, including congestion on King Fahd Causeway, and questioned whether government entity coordination is keeping pace with rising visitor numbers.

He also called for clarity regarding the suspension of the Bahrain-Qatar travel route and urged better regulation of unlicensed tour guides to protect Bahraini professionals.

Minister of Tourism , Her Excellency Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, said the sector forms a key pillar of economic diversification under the national recovery plan.

She noted that Bahrain ranked among the fastest-growing tourism markets in the region in 2025, recording an 11 per cent increase in visitor numbers.

She confirmed that 23 four and five-star hotels have opened since 2022 and that more than 70 percent of licensed tour guides are Bahraini, with ongoing efforts to strengthen training and regulatory oversight.

MPs emphasised that sustained growth must be matched with improved infrastructure, regulatory clarity and greater participation of Bahraini talent across the sector.