BAHRAIN has launched new initiatives and signed agreements with 62 travel agencies from 19 countries as part of an ambitious plan to boost tourism.
Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Alzayani, who is also Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) board chairman, said 95 firms have agreed to sign deals, with 33 expected to complete formalities by the middle of this year.
“BTEA has signed multiple agreements with our national carrier, Gulf Air, to promote Bahrain’s tourism destinations across the globe, and highlight packages offered by hotels and resorts in the kingdom,” said Mr Alzayani.
Target
The minister stressed that the government was targeting 19 major international tourism markets.
“We have launched major initiatives to attract tourists from 19 countries,” he said.
“We will be launching more direct flights between those destinations and Bahrain. We are also setting up a new tourist jetty and highlighting lesser-known attractions in the country.
“Multiple projects would be ready soon – like Al Ghous that would be open in the final quarter of 2024, Galali coastline by the fourth quarter of this year and the new exhibitions centre to be ready by the year end.
“We will have promotional festivities and campaigns throughout the year. We will also review existing legislation and rules affecting the tourism sector, offer lucrative deals and attract more investments by relaxing administrative procedures.”
Fund
Mr Alzayani added that a special fund has been launched in partnership with Tamkeen to help tourist companies and establishments.
“The fund’s support was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic and we are in negotiations with Tamkeen to relaunch it,” said Mr Alzayani.
“This year we launched Hawafiz (Incentives) scheme in which cash is given to companies that bring in the maximum number of tourists to the country.”
The minister said BTEA’s revenue from tourist fees in 2020 was BD8.9 million while expenditure amounted to BD4.8m.
This compares with BD22.8m revenue and BD14m spending in 2019 and BD30.9m revenue and BD14.8m spending in 2018.
“We have a comprehensive tourism strategy for 2022-2026 and we hope to attract tourists and increase our revenue,” said Mr Alzayani.
Shura members will be notified about the response during the weekly session on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a retrospective vote on a royal decree amending the 2009 Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR) Set-up Law, issued by His Majesty King Hamad during the National Assembly’s recess last year, will be taken up during the session.
It gives the BCDR more powers while addressing investment and commercial disputes of high value.
Members will also vote on amendments to the 1976 Penal Code which would see medics failing to disclose information on the dead or those severely injured, jailed for no less than a year or fined between BD200 to BD2,000.
Shura’s foreign affairs, defence and national security committee backed the amendments, however, asserting that judges should determine the suitable punishment.
Meanwhile, Shura will also vote once again on amendments to a law that would see citizens being exempted from paying a one-time registration fee on their property.
The council had earlier rejected the amendment.
Amendments to the 2013 Real Estate Registration Law have been approved twice by Parliament and rejected once by the Shura Council in 2019.
Under the amendments, citizens registering their property for the first time at the Survey and Land Registration Bureau (SLRB) would be exempted from paying two per cent of the property’s worth as registration fee.
Should it get rejected once again by the Shura Council, a joint National Assembly session for members of Parliament and Shura will have to be held to take a full vote on the issue. No such session has been held since 2002.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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