The 2024-2025 cruise ship season has ended in a splashing success, with Bahrain welcoming 140,100 tourists from around the world.
This marked a 15 per cent increase compared to the previous season, along with a notable rise in the number of visitors who chose to stay in hotels and resorts across the kingdom, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) announced yesterday.
Its chief executive for projects and resources Dana Al Saad said the season, which ran from November 2024 to April 2025, saw the arrival of 40 cruise ships.
She noted that the season contributed to economic activity and supported key sectors including retail, transportation and services, while advancing Bahrain’s tourism strategy.
Ms Al Saad confirmed that preparations are already underway for the 2025-2026 cruise season, with efforts focused on strengthening partnerships and enhancing marine tourism services.
She praised the effective co-ordination between public and private sector partners, including the ministries of Interior and Transportation and Telecommunications, APM Terminals Bahrain (operator of Khalifa Bin Salman Port) and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities.
Their collaboration was key to delivering smooth services and a variety of tourism and cultural programmes.
She added that this year’s cruise season offered a wide range of tourism experiences, many of which coincided with national events, festivals and celebrations held over the six-month period.
BTEA recently participated in Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, United States, under the Cruise Arabia Alliance, which includes Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
During the exhibition, new partnerships and agreements were signed for the 2026-2027 season, including plans to extend cruise ship stopovers in Bahrain to up to three days, the official revealed.
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