Right time to invest in tourism sector, says BTEA chief
Manama : Showcasing Bahrain tourism sector before a panel of speakers as part of the World Tourism Day yesterday, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) said that now is the time to invest in the tourism sector.
“Bahrain is an attractive tourist destination. Sustainable tourism has a significant role to play in the economy, the society and the environment. It is also a tool to eradicate poverty, protect the environment as well as improve the quality of life, especially in developing countries,” he said.
Speaking under the theme “Sustainable Tourism – A Tool for Development,” Shaikh Khaled said that BTEA is in talks with private institutes to open a new hospitality management institute to provide training in these fields.The panel consisted of speakers from different sectors. General Manager of Peninsula Farms, Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, the Founder of Annada, Nada Al Alawi, the Head of Marketing at Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Development Co., Ahmed Khalfan, and the CEO of City Limo, Nayef Al Alawi participated in the discussion.
The discussion focused on the impact of various sectors of the tourism industry including fashion, real-estate, transportation, amongst others, without it being limited to hospitality and leisure alone.
“We believe that improving the transportation is a vital part in the tourism industry as it opens up several other avenues. Most of the individual travel in the country is through King Fahad causeway and thus we need to provide services to and from the causeway,” CEO of City Limo, Nayef Al Alawi said.
“We need to focus on affordable housing to attract not only the locals but also expats,” Head of Marketing at Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Development., Ahmed Khalfan said adding that there is a growing number of expats who need housing. “Tourism industry and food and beverage industry go hand in hand. Lately, we are seeing the younger generation promoting traditional food. We need to promote the true essence of the Kingdom,” Head of Marketing at Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Ahmed Khalfan said.
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