Govt making all efforts to boost industry: Al-Zayani

Manama : The government is committed to supporting various sectors of the economy – particularly the tourism sector, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed R. Al-Zayani said yesterday.

Speaking on the sidelines of Gateway Gulf Investor Forum, the minister highlighted the services  provided by the ministry to enhance the sector’s performance and further develop its infrastructure, especially in the exhibitions and conferences field. “The government supports the tourism industry – it is one of the most important sectors in Bahrain’s economy,” he said.

Demonstrating the government’s support for the industry, construction has begun on a new centre for exhibitions and conferences on a 297,000 m2 plot of land near the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.

The new centre will consist of ten halls, a large conference hall that can host up to 4,000 attendees and 26 small and medium-sized meeting and conference rooms all equipped with the most advanced technology.

The size of the exhibition and conferences halls, shops, restaurants, offices and warehouses on the site is estimated to reach 156,600 m2. Work is underway to finalise the designs and an announcement of a tender process will be made in the third quarter of this year. Construction work will begin in October and is expected to be completed in late 2020. The new Bahrain Center for Exhibitions and Conferences will be allocated to major international exhibitions, conferences and entertainment events, which are expected to attract large audiences from Bahrain and overseas.

The new centre will include many facilities and services which are expected to enhance the infrastructure of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry in Bahrain. The MICE industry is a cornerstone of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority’s strategy, “Ours, Yours, Bahrain”.