Scores of tourists from across the causeway will be flocking into Bahrain this coming weekend as Saudi Arabia celebrates its 93rd National Day.
A host of events are planned to commemorate the occasion, which will fall on Saturday, September 23, and hotels and visitor hotspots are looking forward to a bumper end of summer bonanza.
“The weekend business from the causeway has been booming in general and we’re expecting this to continue over the national day weekend,” hospitality expert and consultant Hameed Al Halwachi told the GDN.
“As the tourism sectors in both countries continue to help each other out, hotels are expecting solid occupancy rates.
“More and more families, entertainment tourists and shoppers from Saudi Arabia have been coming to Bahrain and enjoying its four and five-star hotels and resorts.”
In addition, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) appears determined to show the visitors a good time.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, there will be a dhow show and traditional band with Ismael Dawas serenading visitors at Bahrain Bay from 6.30pm to 10pm.
A bus tour in Diyar Al Muharraq to introduce visitors to the area started last weekend and will continue until September 23.
An exhibition, which delves into the collective memory of the Gulf community exploring the significance of the ‘Azeema’, a cherished social gathering that cultivates a sense of belonging and fosters social connectivity between family, friends and extended relations, will continue until Saturday as well at the Art Centre.
Over the weekend there will also be a Jazz show with Banah held at Al Liwan, while other music shows and family activities are sure to entertain shoppers at the Manama Souq, Souq Al Barah, Seef Mall (Manama and Muharraq), Dragon City, Moda Mall and The Avenues.
The BTEA has also unveiled a number of flight and accommodation packages for visitors from Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam.
The King Fahad Causeway from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain is expected to be busier than usual in the coming days, as some residents and nationals are given Sunday as an extra lieu day because of the National Day falling on one of their weekend days.
This will be the first Saudi National Day since e-gates were introduced earlier this year, which are expected to reduce traffic since travellers who have paid using the Jesr (Arabic for causeway) mobile application will not need to stop for cash payments.
Four e-payment service areas have been launched by the King Fahad Causeway Authority and linked to the Jesr application, with free Wi-Fi provided on the Saudi Arabia side of the border to enable connectivity. They include:
Number plate recognition for registered vehicles which will deduct toll fees automatically
A Tasheel radio chip placed in a vehicle’s front windshield will be identified by RFID and trigger an alert when passing through e-gates and deduct payment from an e-wallet
Frequent travellers can scan a QR code at the causeway to effortlessly make a payment from a registered e-wallet with pre-loaded funds
The Yusur service on the KFCA app allows travellers to pay a one-time transit fee when moving between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Earlier this year, a record 136,498 travellers crossed the causeway in a single day on March 4 and tourism experts will not be surprised if that number is surpassed.
Saudi Arabia celebrates its national day on September 23 of each year and to commemorate the unification of the nations of Najd and Hijaz. The nations merged in 1932 to form the kingdom, so named after the House of Saud, a family led by the nation’s first ruler, King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud.
The occasion is celebrated across the kingdom with events, traditional activities and decorations and flags as well as near neighbours. The 93rd National Day carries the slogan ‘We dream and we achieve’.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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